Liverpool’s quadruple hopes resulted in dramatic vogue Sunday.
The Premier League leaders have been knocked out of the FA Cup within the fourth spherical after dropping 1-0 to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle.
A second-half penalty by Ryan Hardie proved decisive in serving to the last-place Championship membership pull off one of many largest upsets within the historical past of the event.
Arne Slot left a number of of Liverpool’s stars off the squad for Sunday’s away journey, together with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, making 10 modifications from the crew that beat Tottenham within the League Cup semifinals earlier within the week.
“We weren’t having an excellent day. A consequence like that is the result,” mentioned Slot, who suffered simply his fourth defeat since changing Jurgen Klopp on the Liverpool bench. “It hurts everybody that’s concerned with Liverpool – followers, me gamers. We have been all desirous to be on this competitors for so long as attainable and whenever you exit within the second attainable recreation, that is a setback.”
Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Federico Chiesa struggled to create probabilities in assault, whereas Liverpool suffered an early defensive blow within the first half with the lack of Joe Gomez to harm.
The 2 sides have been degree popping out of halftime earlier than Plymouth have been awarded a penalty within the 53rd minute after Harvey Elliott’s raised arm made contact with the ball.
Hardie’s penalty conversion triggered a way of urgency among the many guests.
Liverpool pressed for an equalizer late however have been denied by a pair of spectacular saves by Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard late within the contest.
Hazard denied Jota’s volley from exterior the field with a diving effort earlier than pulling off an much more spectacular save in harm time when he tipped Darwin Nunez’s close-range header over the crossbar.
Plymouth went on to carry onto their result in safe the win for Miron Muslic, who not too long ago changed Wayne Rooney as coach of the Pilgrims.
“I am speechless, and usually they inform me I am eloquent! It is a huge second,” Muslic mentioned. “It is a magical day for us. I instructed the lads within the locker room to get pleasure from it.”
In the meantime, Liverpool will now shift focus to their efforts within the Premier League, Champions League, and the League Cup closing subsequent month in opposition to Newcastle United.
“I can not say the boys did not struggle, each groups barely created an opportunity after which it was a penalty. In a recreation like this, it’s as much as one second. That second was for them and so they deserve it,” Slot added.
