Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes were dealt a serious blow as Eberechi Eze scored the only goal in Crystal Palace’s shock 1-0 win at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were punished for a poor start by Eze after 14 minutes and then failed to take a host of chances in a frustrating second half on Sunday.

After last week’s draw at Manchester United and the midweek Europa League implosion against Atalanta, Klopp’s hopes of a glorious send-off are rapidly fading.

Palace were the latest side to throw a spanner in the works as they claimed just their second win under Oliver Glasner and eased fears of getting sucked into a relegation battle.

Eze’s goal marked the 21st time they have fallen behind in 32 league games this season and, unlike on many previous occasions, this time there was no coming back.

They pressed hard but could not find a way through Palace’s stubborn rearguard, succumbing to their first home league defeat in 29 games.

Liverpool had welcomed back first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker after 10 weeks and also brought back Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Andy Robertson and Conor Bradley following the Atalanta humbling.

Yet it appeared to do little good as the hosts made a sluggish start and Palace made the early running.

The Eagles were rewarded as they pieced together a patient passing move, ending with Tyrick Mitchell cutting the ball back for Eze to casually side-foot home.

Things almost immediately got worse for Liverpool as a Virgil van Dijk slip allowed Jean-Philippe Mateta to race clean through on goal.

The Frenchman calmly lifted over the advancing Alisson but Andy Robertson did superbly to race back and clear off the line.

Liverpool belatedly began to stir and were unlucky in a goalmouth scramble as Wataru Endo scooped a shot against the bar.

Diaz then forced a save from Dean Henderson as he met a Robertson cross with a flying volley and Ibrahima Konate headed over from the resulting corner.

Alexis Mac Allister had a free-kick blocked and Salah tested Henderson after racing onto a long ball and cutting inside.

Despite the more positive play, Liverpool remained vulnerable and Michael Olise shot at Alisson before Mateta headed over.

Liverpool suffered a serious blow in the opening moments of the second half when Bradley was forced off with an ankle injury. His removal led to the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold after 13 games on the sidelines.

Liverpool pressed on and forced a corner from which Darwin Nunez looked certain to equalise but Henderson blocked his powerful strike at point-blank range.

Klopp tried to freshen up his front line by sending on Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo and the former spurned a good chance when he was teed up by Dominik Szoboszlai but shot against a defender.

Curtis Jones was also wasteful when put through as he skewed a shot wide with only the keeper to beat.

Yet Palace also suffered frustration as Mateta was remarkably denied at close range by Alisson.

Liverpool looked laboured as time ran out but Salah was denied a leveller in stoppage time when Mitchell blocked him two yards out.

Andreas Pereira at the double as Fulham dent West Ham’s hopes of European return

West Ham’s European hopes suffered a second blow in the space of four days after a meek 2-0 home defeat by Fulham.

The Hammers were beaten 2-0 by Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, leaving them with a mountain to climb in the return match.

They then blew the chance to climb up to sixth place in the Premier League, and right back into the European shake-up, after two Andreas Pereira goals secured a first win in four for Fulham.

It was the first time the Cottagers had won away to West Ham since 2001 and having dominated the reverse fixture 5-0 in December, they completed a league double over their London rivals for the first time since 1966.

Leverkusen will not be quaking in their boots on the evidence of this timid display.

Yet West Ham should have gone ahead in the opening moments when Lucas Paqueta’s ball over the top saw right-back Vladimir Coufal burst into the area.

His initial effort was repelled by Bernd Leno and when the ball rebounded to the feet of Michail Antonio, the striker blazed over from eight yards.

Mohammed Kudus then curled wide narrowly wide before the lively Paqueta, who is suspended against Leverkusen on Thursday night, hit the side-netting.

But despite their bright start, West Ham conceded to Fulham’s first attack after nine minutes, a goal which would have had manager David Moyes tearing his hair out.

Konstantinos Mavropanos tried to bring down a deep cross from Alex Iwobi but succeeded only in gifting the ball to Pereira, who had been given a free run by Nayef Aguerd.

The Brazilian had the simple task of knocking the ball past Hammers keeper Lukasz Fabianski and finishing into an empty net.

Pereira almost had a second moments later when he slid in to meet Willian’s inviting cross, but he guided it wide.

Coufal has yet to score for West Ham since joining three and a half years ago, and he illustrated why when he crashed a good opportunity wide from Paqueta’s cross.

After the break Fabianski made a big save to tip Iwobi’s shot wide, but he was powerless to prevent Pereira doubling the lead after 72 minutes.

Paqueta was robbed in midfield by Joao Palhinha and Pereira laid the ball off to Rodrigo Muniz. He played in Iwobi, who burst forward before crossing for Pereira to apply another simple finish.

A damaging defeat for the Hammers had a sad postscript when teenage substitute George Earthy had to be carried off on a stretcher after suffering a serious head injury in a collision with team-mate Edson Alvarez, just two minutes into his Premier League debut.

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FC Barcelona
Pau Cubarsi makes decision on Barcelona future amid Premier League interest
Cubarsi has become a key player for Barcelona in 2024
Barca are keen to tie teenage defender down to a long-term contract
Premier League clubs have been interested in his services

By Jack Gallagher
Apr 14, 2024
Cubarsi has been thrown into the Barca team this season
Cubarsi has been thrown into the Barca team this season / Tim Clayton - Corbis/GettyImages
Barcelona are confident young prodigy Pau Cubarsi will sign a new contract despite interest from Premier League clubs.

The 17-year-old centre-back broke into the Barca first-team at the start of 2024 and has cemented his place in the starting lineup ahead of veteran defender Inigo Martinez thanks to his fantastic performances.

To date, Cubarsi has made 13 starts for the Catalan club - including playing the full 90 minutes in the recent huge UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain - accentuating his importance to Xavi Hernandez's plans.

Cubarsi's impressive performances have caught the eye of a number of top European clubs, with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United linked with a move for the talented youngster in recent months. Interest in the defender's services has perhaps been heightened by the rumoured €10m release clause attached to his current contract at Barca.

Barca are extremely keen to tie their new defensive star down to a new long-term deal in Catalonia and, according to Mundo Deportivo, are confident of striking a deal with Cubarsi.

Kylian Mbappé, Pau Cubarsí
Cubarsi impressed against PSG / Tim Clayton - Corbis/GettyImages
The report states there is a plan in place to ensure the defender signs a new five-year deal when he turns 18 in January 2025 - a contract which will include a substantial new release clause.

Speaking about Cubarsi following Barca's 1-0 win over Cadiz at the weekend, current manager Xavi was keen to praise the defender.

He said: "I think Cubarsi will mark an era at Barca. When we get pressed high, he always picks the right option. He corrects very well, wins duels...it doesn't look like he's 17 years old at all."

Barca and Cubarsi will be back in action on Tuesday when they face PSG in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

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