Prediction: Crystal Palace vs Liverpool

Verdict: Liverpool win

Best odds: 8/15

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

Crystal Palace and Liverpool will contest the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday, marking the traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season.

Palace will make their debut in the competition after lifting their first major trophy with last season̢۪s FA Cup triumph. Liverpool, meanwhile, return to the fixture as Premier League champions, having cruised to the title in dominant fashion.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace extended their impressive Wembley record in May, upsetting Manchester City in the FA Cup final to end a 120-year wait for a first major trophy.

It was their fourth victory in six neutral matches at Wembley, and while the last four Community Shield debutants have all lost, seven of the past nine winners entered as FA Cup holders. Optimism is high for the new season, with many expecting Palace to better last year̢۪s 12th-place league finish.

Oliver Glasner̢۪s side will also have European fixtures to manage, though their competition is yet to be confirmed. If their appeal against demotion to the Conference League succeeds, they will advance directly to the Europa League̢۪s league phase. If not, a two-legged qualifier later this month against Fredrikstad is likely.

Palace wrapped up pre-season with a double-header away to Augsburg last week, where the first team won 3-1 and the reserve side lost 1-0. Next, they face Liverpool, who have won 12 of the last 16 meetings, though Palace have fared better in cup matches, losing just two of the last six.

Team News

Adam Wharton, Marc Guehi, and Nathaniel Clyne have all returned from injury during pre-season, but Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure remain sidelined.

Summer signings Borna Sosa and Walter Benitez are expected to start on the bench, with Glasner likely favouring Tyrick Mitchell at left wing-back and Dean Henderson in goal.

The only selection uncertainty is in central midfield, where Daichi Kamada, Jefferson Lerma, or Will Hughes will partner Wharton.

Liverpool

While this is Crystal Palace̢۪s first appearance in the Community Shield, Liverpool are aiming to lift the trophy for the 17th time (five shared) in what will be their 25th outing in the competition.

The Reds lost the EFL Cup final at Wembley in March, but under Arne Slot̢۪s guidance they cruised to the Premier League title in his debut season. A positive omen is that Liverpool have never suffered two Wembley defeats in the same year, though they have only won the Community Shield once since 2006.

Their pre-season concluded on Monday with a double-header against Athletic Bilbao, as the first team edged a 3-2 win after the B team impressed in a 4-1 victory. Slot̢۪s men also beat Preston North End and Yokohama F. Marinos earlier in the summer, but have yet to register a clean sheet in five friendlies.

Liverpool open their league campaign at Anfield on Friday night against Bournemouth, starting the season as title favourites.

Team News

All of their major summer signings have featured in pre-season, and the side for this match is expected to resemble the one that faced Bilbao in the second game.

Centre-back remains a minor concern, with Virgil van Dijk not fully fit and Wataru Endo or Andy Robertson occasionally partnering Ibrahima Konate in recent weeks.

With Alisson also doubtful, Giorgi Mamardashvili could start in goal, having gained plenty of match time since joining from Valencia.

Conclusion

Considering Liverpool̢۪s heavy summer spending, anything less than victory in the Community Shield with a full-strength lineup could raise concerns, though they are widely backed to prevail.

Palace have already enjoyed two memorable Wembley triumphs in 2025 and should not be dismissed as potential giant-killers again, but Glasner̢۪s side face a tough challenge.

Verdict: Liverpool win

Best odds: 8/15

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

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