As Arne Slot’s stunned Liverpool squad filed onto their bus outside Selhurst Park, preparing for a muted ride back to Merseyside, one Crystal Palace supporter turned a routine scene into a mischievous sideshow. In a clip now viral, the fan — proudly wearing Palace colors — knelt in front of the team coach and pretended to tie his laces at a snail’s pace, deliberately blocking its path. It was peak football trolling: petty, playful, and perfectly timed after Palace’s shock 2-1 victory, sparking a storm of laughter, irritation, and reluctant respect online.
The stunt capped off a chaotic evening that will live long in memory. Oliver Glasner’s Palace handed Liverpool their first defeat of the 2025/26 season, four months after lifting the FA Cup at Wembley. With the match deep into an extended stoppage — added after a medical scare in the stands — Eddie Nketiah smashed home from Jefferson Lerma’s long throw, sending the Holmesdale End into bedlam. For Liverpool, who had been cruising near the top of the table, it was a devastating twist that dropped them behind Arsenal on goal difference.
Outside the ground, celebrations spilled into the streets. Players soaked up the applause, while Liverpool’s crest-emblazoned coach idled on Holmesdale Road, waiting for dejected stars like Van Dijk and Salah to board. Slot, furious at the refereeing decisions, was the last to climb aboard. Then came the fan in question: dressed in a retro Palace kit, he planted himself before the bus, bent down, and fussed over his already-loose laces as the driver honked in frustration. Fans roared — Palace supporters egged him on, while Liverpool followers hurled abuse.
The footage, shared by @AwayDays_ on X, racked up over 100,000 views in an hour. It captured every detail: the fan’s mock concentration, the driver’s hand-waving, and the crowd’s laughter. Comments poured in, ranging from banter (“First loss, first lace-tying protest”) to disgust (“Blocking the bus is disgraceful”). Police later confirmed only minor scuffles near Selhurst station, but the shoelace stunt dominated post-match chatter.
For Palace, the victory reinforced their new identity under Glasner — resilient, fearless, and thriving on underdog spirit. Nketiah, who rejected a summer move to Anfield, joked post-match that the goal was “for the Holmesdale.” Glasner himself smirked that if fans delayed a rival bus, “that’s passion.” Slot, by contrast, dismissed the incident but privately bristled at the added frustration of the delay.
The prank joins a long tradition of Palace fan antics, from giant banners to inflatable eagles. Ultimately harmless, the shoelace trick perfectly embodied their cheeky defiance. The culprit eventually stood, flashed a V-sign toward the players, and disappeared into the crowd.
By the time the bus finally rolled away, Liverpool’s players were left stewing on both the result and the ribbing. Social media ran with it, birthing hashtags like #ShoelaceShithousery, memes blending the fan with Nketiah’s celebration, and cheeky punditry from Lineker and Carragher.
In the grand scheme of the season, it was just a footnote — but one that summed up football’s essence: triumph, pain, and humor woven together. Palace claimed three points on the pitch, but off it, they claimed the moment.
