Liverpool’s journey in the Carabao Cup came to an abrupt end on Wednesday as they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace. The Reds’ downfall was largely due to Arne Slot’s decision to make wholesale changes to his squad, with Ismaila Sarr’s first-half brace and Yeremy Pino’s late goal sealing their fate. However, there were several intriguing subplots that unfolded during the match.

One such subplot involved Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi and Liverpool defender Joe Gomez. It’s well known that Liverpool’s attempts to sign Guehi over the summer fell through at the last minute, with the Palace skipper even undergoing a medical on deadline day before the deal was called off.

Gomez, on the other hand, was rumoured to be on his way out of Merseyside, with AC Milan among the clubs interested in his services.

Had Guehi’s move to Liverpool gone through, it’s likely that Gomez would have left the club.

After the match, the two defenders were seen deep in conversation, marking one of the first times they’ve had a chance to speak since their respective transfer sagas unfolded.

The nature of their discussion remains unknown, but it certainly adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing narrative surrounding both players.

As two proud south Londoners, the pair may simply have been discussing their shared roots, but deadline day marked a pivotal moment for both players, and it seems likely this dominated their brief post-match conversation.

Liverpool become the butt of online mockery before the match, with Palace’s social media team taking delight in their recent victories over the Reds.

From pre-match graphics pointedly featuring Guehi to updated biographies following wins in both the Premier League and Carabao Cup, including a recent nod to Ismaila Sarr’s impressive record against the champions, the south London outfit’s digital team have capitalised on their success against Slot’s side.

Slot’s squad, it appears, have become the punchline. For the time being, at any rate.