A ‘glorified friendly’ as most supporters regard it, but it definitely an eye opening one as the curtain came up on the 2025–26 season under the shadow of the Wembley arch.
While the Premier League champions Liverpool’s penalty shootout defeat to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield won’t define their campaign, it certainly provided a telling snapshot of where Arne Slot’s evolving side stands. This was Liverpool’s second trip to Wembley in 2025, and once again they left empty-handed.
Sunday’s defeat on penalties carried far less weight and far more optimism, but also highlighted issues that can’t be ignored ahead of Friday night’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth.
The Community Shield has never been the ultimate barometer of a team’s strength, but these matches do provide clues, and the evidence on Sunday suggested that while Liverpool’s lavish summer spending has brought undoubted quality, there is still fine-tuning required if they are to successfully defend their first league title in 40 years.
Here’s what we learnt.
Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz show why Liverpool spent big
The most encouraging takeaway from Liverpool’s afternoon came in the form of two summer signings making their competitive debuts when Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz wasted no time justifying some of the hype and price tag.
Ekitike’s first goal for the club arrived after just four minutes and was the kind of start every new forward dreams of. A a goal born of both quality and confidence — a clever first touch to bring the ball under control, a quick shift to create the angle, and a precise finish beyond Dean Henderson.
It wasn’t just the finish, though, that impressed. The Frenchman’s game was alive with energy and intelligence. He dropped deep to link play, combined well with Wirtz and Szoboszlai, and harried defenders out of possession.
Wirtz, meanwhile, was everywhere. The 22-year-old instantly looked at home in a Liverpool shirt, floating between flanks, threading passes through tight spaces, and linking beautifully with Szoboszlai in a series of quick-fire one-twos. His assist for Ekitike’s goal, a perfectly timed pass into space, was the kind of moment that separates good players from great ones.
The chemistry between the two was instant, and it wasn’t hard to see why Liverpool broke the bank this summer. But their link-up play also served to highlight another point when Ekitike was withdrawn with 20 minutes left. The Reds lost their focal point and became noticeably blunter in attack. That change was part tactical, but it also exposed a lack of senior depth in the central striker role.
The search for a striker Isn’t over
Liverpool’s recruitment team have done much of their heavy lifting early this summer, but the forward department remains incomplete. Slot insists reinforcements are coming before the window shuts on September 1st if needed, and by judging this performance supporters will agree there needs a bit more injection into this squad.
The departures of Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz, the tragic death of former forward Diogo Jota, and the marginalisation of Federico Chiesa have left Ekitike as the only natural number 9 in the squad. It’s no wonder the pursuit of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak remains alive. Liverpool’s £110m bid for the Sweden international was rejected earlier this month, but the belief around Anfield is that the club will return to the table once Newcastle have sourced a replacement. Isak’s arrival would be a statement signing.
For now, though, the Ekitike’s performance should ease fears that Liverpool are overly reliant on additional reinforcements. His skill set is different to Isak’s — less hold-up play, more fluid movement — but in a league campaign where Liverpool used three different central strikers last season, there will be minutes for both if Isak arrives.
Still, Sunday made one thing clear — when Ekitike left the pitch, Arne Slot attack lost structure. If Slot wants tactical flexibility and depth to compete on multiple fronts, another forward is non-negotiable.
Full back evolution brings threats and flaws
For the first time in years, Liverpool lined up without Trent Alexander-Arnold or Andy Robertson in the starting XI, and new signings Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez brought different qualities to the flanks.
Frimpong, signed from Bayer Leverkusen, is a pure athlete with the kind of straight-line pace that terrifies defenders. His goal — a miscued cross that looped in — may have been fortuitous, but his constant runs beyond the winger were deliberate and effective. Unlike Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong rarely tucks inside to dictate play. his threat comes from stretching the pitch and exploiting the outside channel which he did yesterday quite frequently.
Kerkez mirrored that approach on the left, frequently overlapping and driving into the final third. The downside was that both full-backs’ aggressive positioning left acres of space for Palace to counter into when Liverpool lost the ball. That vulnerability was evident at Wembley, with Palace finding joy down the flanks when Liverpool’s press was broken.
It’s not to say the full-back revamp won’t work. In fact, their energy could be a huge asset over a 38-game season, but the defensive shape when possession is lost needs refining, and quickly.
As much as the duo are exciting additions, their styles will require careful balance, especially in big games where losing defensive shape can be punished ruthlessly.
Midfield miscommunication
Slot’s midfield selection on Sunday was shaped by circumstance as much as strategy. Ryan Gravenberch, expected to play a key role this season, missed out after becoming a father overnight. Curtis Jones anchored the midfield but didn’t play his best game, losing possession in key areas and holding onto the ball for too long, which is regarded as of his weaknesses by many.
In possession, it was often brilliant, quick combinations, overloads between the lines, and neat switches of play. Out of possession, it was far less convincing. With both advanced midfielders naturally attack-minded, Palace found space between Liverpool’s midfield and defence, particularly when Eberechi Eze drifted into central areas.
But with Slot himself highlighting defensive frailties in pre-season, this was a reminder that they conceded two goals, 14 shots, four big chances. Those numbers are too high for a team with title ambitions.
Gravenberch’s return should help stabilise the midfield, but Slot must find the right blend. It’s a reminder that adding creativity can come at the cost of stability. Slot flagged defensive concerns in pre-season, and they resurfaced here.
Salah’s Wembley struggles continue
Mohamed Salah endured a miserable afternoon in the capital under the Wembley arch once again. If the Community Shield was a day to showcase Liverpool’s new stars, it was also one to forget for their most established one. Mohamed Salah endured a rare off-day and continued an unwanted personal record.
The Egyptian star has not scored or assisted at Wembley since his first appearance there in 2017. This time, he registered just six touches in the opening 37 minutes, created no big chances, completed no dribbles, and delivered no accurate crosses. His one notable chance a late shot from inside the box was hit straight at Dean Henderson.
Salah’s day was summed up by an 86th-minute booking for dragging back Eze in frustration. To make matters worse, he blazed his penalty high over the bar in the shootout, repeating a miss he had made in a friendly against Athletic Club days earlier. Questions are now being raised whether he should continue as the number one penalty taker with this becoming a reoccurring theme.
Salah remains one of the Premier League’s most decisive players, but the Reds can ill afford many anonymous showings from their talisman this season. Slot will expect a reaction against Bournemouth on Friday night, but Salah’s Wembley drought is becoming too consistent to ignore.
The Community Shield might be dismissed by some as inconsequential, but for the Premier League champions this was an important test of their readiness to defend the Premier League crown. Slot will hope that Sunday’s lessons pay off when the real campaign begins in four days time.
