"He’s the reason why they lost", "Utterly woeful performance" - Liverpool fans slam superstar for his showing in Community Shield final loss to Palace

Liverpool fans on X have blasted Virgil van Dijk after he performed poorly during their defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield final (Sunday, August 10). The Eagles secured their second trophy of 2025 after winning 3-2 in the penalty shootout, after the game ended 2-2 in normal time.

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The Reds got off to the perfect start in the 4th minute after Hugo Ekitike found the bottom-right corner with a brilliant finish to break the deadlock. However, Van Dijk's clumsy challenge on Ismaila Sarr resulted in Crystal Palace winning a penalty in the 16th minute. Jean-Philippe Mateta converted from the spot a minute later to level the scores.

Liverpool seized back control in the 21st minute after Jeremie Frimpong's cross drifted into the back of the net. However, Crystal Palace were exceptional in the second half and were rewarded in the 77th minute, following Sarr's close-range clinical finish to send the game to penalties.

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Liverpool looked devoid of confidence in the penalty shootout, resulting in Palace securing a 3-2 win. Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, and Harvey Elliott each missed their spot-kicks.

Virgil van Dijk wasn't convincing defensively, conceding one penalty, losing three duels, and making zero tackles. The Dutchman was also unable to properly execute an offside trap on Sarr before the latter's equalizer, which led to Palace getting back into the game.

One Liverpool fan posted:

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"Van Dijk utterly woeful performance. Costed us both goals. Salah and Elliott’s penalties were unacceptable. Not the end of the world because the proper football starts on Friday and we need to be ready. Isak, centre back and a winger to take Chiesa’s place all needed."

Bobby @Bobby96LFC Van Dijk utterly woeful performance. Costed us both goals. Salah and Elliott’s penalties were unacceptable. Not the end of the world because the proper football starts on Friday and we need to be ready. Isak, centre back and a winger to take Chiesa’s place all needed

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Another fan tweeted:

"He’s the reason why they lost."

Alluka @allukamazing @TouchlineX He’s the reason why they lost.

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Other fans reacted below:

"Van dijk, we'll start having some serious convos about you soon," one fan commented

"Vvd was awful today plain and simple," another admitted

"It's a very poor miscalculation," one fan typed

"They should sell him.." another chimed in

How did Liverpool fare during their Community Shield final loss against Crystal Palace?

Liverpool were dealt a massive blow after they lost to Crystal Palace on penalties in the FA Community Shield final. Arne Slot and Co. will aim to bounce back in the Premier League against Bournemouth on August 15.

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The Reds dominated possession with 59 percent of the ball, completing 457 passes with an accuracy of 85 percent. In comparison, Palace had 41 percent possession and completed 284 passes with an accuracy of 79 percent.

However, the Eagles looked more threatening going forward, landing 14 shots in total, with four being on target (xG of 2.03). Meanwhile, Liverpool landed 12 shots in total, with five being on target, garnering a lower xG of 1.08.

Disclaimer: The above stats were taken from FotMob on Sunday, August 10, at 10:15 PM IST. They are subject to change.

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About the author Silas Sud Silas has been a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda for 2 years. A Computer Applications graduate, he is a versatile writer who conducts in-depth research and verifies information from multiple sources to ensure complete accuracy in his articles. Silas was introduced to the beautiful game back in 2008, watching the Premier League on television.

Silas is a Liverpool supporter through and through and admires everything about the club – it’s history, culture, style of play, and all of its iconic players and managers. His favorite player is Steven Gerrard, who was also one of the primary reasons to get interested in football and support Liverpool.

Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Jurgen Klopp, who transformed the Reds from a mid-table club to Premier League champions. Liverpool’s fourth goal in their 4-0 win over Barcelona, scored by Divock Origi after the iconic ‘corner taken quickly’ moment from Trent Alexander-Arnold, holds a special place in Silas’ heart.

Apart from Europe’s top five leagues, he also follows Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League. When not writing, he indulges in reading, traveling, fitness and gaming. Know More

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