Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta, left, and Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate vie for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park in south London. (AP)

LONDON, Sept 27 (AP): Liverpool’s perfect start to its Premier League title defense ended with a late 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday, and Bruno Fernandes failed to score a penalty for the second time this season in Manchester United's latest lackluster loss.

Eddie Nketiah lashed home the winner for Palace in the seventh minute of stoppage time, just when it seemed Federico Chiesa's 87th-minute goal would earn the champions a point with their latest late goal this season.

Liverpool won its first five league games despite not being entirely convincing, and Arne Slot's team was undone again by Palace, which beat the Reds in a penalty shootout to win the Community Shield before the English season began.

Palace is now Liverpool's closest rival, moving up to second and just three points adrift after six rounds.

United was beaten 3-1 at Brentford for a third defeat from six matches in the league - but it could have been so different had Fernandes’ spot kick not been saved by Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher in the 76th minute. That would have made it 2-2.

The Portugal midfielder also missed a penalty at Fulham last month.

United fell behind to an early double by Brazilian striker Igor Thiago by the 20th minute before Benjamin Sesko reduced the deficit for United in the 26th with his first goal in English soccer. Fernandes then made his penalty blunder after Bryan Mbeumo - the winger signed by United from Brentford - was pulled back in the area.

Mathias Jensen powered in a shot from the edge of the area for Brentford's third goal in stoppage time.

The latest loss for United came after previous league defeats to Arsenal and Manchester City, with a humbling English League Cup exit at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town also thrown in so far this season.

United failed to build on a win at Chelsea last week and still hasn't recorded back-to-back victories under Amorim since his first match in charge in November last year.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is already well clear in the league's scoring chart after netting in the 90th minute and again in stoppage time to wrap up a 5-1 thrashing of Burnley. That moved the Norway star onto eight goals, four more than anyone else.