The Reds had a somewhat different appearance and Arne Slot's starting lineup may well indicate his preferred choices for the beginning of the Premier League season.
All of Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike were making their competitive debuts, the most in one game for Liverpool since February 2020 when five new players appeared against Shrewsbury.
Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai's appearances marked the first time two Hungarians played in a Reds lineup, while Oliver Glasner fielded a fully fit Palace team participating in their inaugural Community Shield.
Liverpool are seasoned participants in the traditional opener, having competed in 25 previous editions, winning 16, but they had only claimed victory once in their last six attempts.
Ekitike's early debut goal
The Eagles would have drawn additional hope from the fact that seven of the last nine trophy winners had secured the FA Cup the previous May, and the south Londoners had triumphed in four of their last six visits to the renowned old stadium.
Liverpool, favored before the match, took the initiative from the first whistle with Kerkez notably involved.
Palace's 4-4-2 formation remained solid until the fourth minute when a 22-pass sequence, followed by an assist from Wirtz and a moment of brilliance from Ekitike, saw the latter curl the ball past the desperate dive of Dean Henderson to score the opening goal.
It was Liverpool's earliest goal in a final since Mo Salah's penalty against Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final, and their fastest in a Community Shield since Gary McAllister's in 2001 against Manchester United.
With 72.5% possession in the initial stages, it reflected the Reds' dominance, overwhelming the Eagles at every opportunity.
Another breathtaking move in the 13th minute nearly resulted in a second goal, with the offside flag and Henderson's full-length save denying Cody Gakpo. Almost instantly, Palace countered, and although Alisson denied Jean-Phillipe Mateta in a one-on-one situation, the striker converted a subsequent penalty after Ismaila Sarr was brought down by Virgil van Dijk.
It marked his 31st goal under Glasner, with only Alexander Isak (38), Mo Salah (40) and Erling Haaland (50) having scored more since the Austrian took charge of the Eagles on February 24, 2024.
Palace's first shot on target came despite having completed fewer than 40 passes in the game by that point, and it seemed to energize their supporters; however, at the 20-minute mark, with Liverpool fans applauding their former number 20 Diogo Jota, Jeremie Frimpong's ambitious cross found its way into the net.
As a spectacle, the match had already delivered more excitement than many previous Community Shield editions, and although the Eagles held only 35.5% possession after 36 minutes, they began to make a contest of it,Will Hughes was aggressive in tackles in midfield, and Mateta was a constant threat up front.
Salah's limited involvement, with only six touches of the ball in the same timeframe - none in the penalty area - highlighted how effectively Glasner's side had neutralized the Egyptian King's impact.
Perfect Jones
Kerkez's tendency to push forward left him vulnerable later in the half, with Daniel Munoz getting behind him. Despite having plenty of space each time he surged forward, the Colombian failed to deliver any notable crosses, as evidenced by a poor 77.8% accuracy rate.
Ekitike nearly scored a second right at the start of the second half, his close-range header somehow diverted wide, while Liverpool continued to circulate the ball effectively.
Curtis Jones' excellent yet understated performance was evident in his 53 completed passes from 53 attempts - the only player on the pitch with 100% accuracy.
All action from Munoz
Palace still posed a threat at times with Munoz's dynamic display - winning seven duels by the hour mark, which was at least three more than any other player on either side, also including a humorous clash with the referee as he chased down a loose ball.
Salah's influence became more apparent too, as his 10 touches in the second half by the 60-minute mark matched his total from the opening 45, while Wirtz's four chances and 24 passes in the final third were the highest on the pitch with half an hour remaining.
A free header from Palace's Chris Richards, which Alisson saved, reminded the Reds that they were not yet secure, and the Brazilian was also in the right position to deny Eze shortly after.
The south Londoners enjoyed their best spell of the game in terms of pressure and possession, culminating in Sarr's superb finish that leveled the score with 14 minutes remaining. A handball by Alexis Mac Allister was not punished with another Palace penalty, and Salah's left-footed shot shortly after should have resulted in a third Liverpool goal.
Pendulum swing
With 13 shots to Liverpool's 11, it was evident that the momentum had shifted in favor of the underdogs, and the closing stages of the game saw both teams attempting to bypass a crowded midfield.
A midfield where Will Hughes and Adam Wharton had engaged in 14 duels, while Liverpool's Szoboszlai, Wirtz, and Jones had combined for over 160 passes, with the lowest completion rate at 87.3%.
Penalties needed
Penalties were required to determine the outcome, marking the third time in Liverpool's last four Community Shield appearances that this occurred.
At the Liverpool end, Salah was the first to take a penalty but sent it soaring over the bar, whereas Mateta was more clinical, giving the Eagles an immediate lead.
Henderson's brilliant full-length save from Mac Allister was matched by Alisson's stop from Eze, before Gakpo and Sarr exchanged successful penalties.
Harvey Elliott's miss, again due to a fantastic save by the Palace goalkeeper, allowed new signing Borna Sosa the opportunity to secure victory for the south Londoners, but his powerful shot struck the woodwork.
A fierce strike from Szoboszlai kept Liverpool's hopes alive, before an even more spectacular finish from 93rd-minute substitute, Justin Devenny, secured Palace's second honor of the year.
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