Arne Slot said that his Liverpool players came far from expectations after he was amazed by the bottom club of the championship, Plymouth Argyle, in the FA Cup on Sunday.
Ryan Hardie's penalty eight minutes after the break turned out to be the difference and put the hope of the Reds on a potential four -fold this season firmly in its mark.
Plymouth was indeed the first side from outside the Premier League to eliminate the team at the top of the top since Wigan Athletic against Manchester City in February 2018.
It was also the first time that Liverpool was beaten out of the competition by an opponent of the competition, while since January 1984 he led the table against Brighton.
With a final Merseyside Derby in Goodison Park on the Horizon for Liverpool, Slot made 10 changes on the side that Tottenham defeated in their EFL Cup semi -final second stage on Thursday.
Caoimhin Kelleher was the only player who held his place in the side, with people like Federico Chiesa, Jarell Quansah and Wataru Endo handed rare starts.
And after the game, Slot said that some of his fringe players did not impress him in Home Park.
“I think (the players here today) are able to do better, but this is a playing style that is quite difficult to create your chances, what we have seen today,” he said.
“But we expected to play a better game than this, but we also give the honor to Plymouth.
“It hurts everyone involved in Liverpool, fans, I, players, we all wanted to be in this competition, but if you go out in one of the first possible games, that is a setback.
“Today we kept fighting until the last second. Maybe the only opportunities we made were in the last 10-15 minutes, so it was no problem with the working speed, but we could not find openings and opportunities.”
0.44 – Liverpool today collected an open game XG of only 0.44 against Plymouth Argyle, their lowest in a game under Arne Slot so far. Are missing. pic.twitter.com/tiuxa74KH6
– Optajoe (@Optajoe) February 9, 2025
In the meantime, they celebrated the fifth round of the FA Cup for Plymouth for the first time since 2006-07.
This season they have now beaten two Premier League clubs from the competition (Brentford and Liverpool), who have only reported twice in their history in their history (West Ham in 1961-62, West Brom in 1983-84) .
Under a series of impressive displays for the pilgrims, defender Nikola Katic shone, and put his body on the line that saw him lose a tooth early in the game.
Katic announced 11 today, the most by a player in a match against Liverpool since March 2020 (Stefan Savic for Atletico Madrid, 11).
But the Bosnian was quick to praise Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard after he had made a number of stops to deny Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota an even goal.
“That's why I came here. It's good to get confidence about this victory. We did well with the defensive structure and everyone gave them 100%,” Katic told ITV.
“We did what the coach asked of us. That is it. I hated danger when I arrived because he is a Celtic man, and I am a huge rangers, but he gave us this victory today.”
Plymouth boss Miron Muslic, who replaced Wayne Rooney in January, enjoyed the moment when Argyle wrote a famous page in the legendary history book of the FA Cup.
But with a huge collision against Millwall to come next Wednesday, Muslic believes that their victory on Liverpool could be a turning point in what a disappointing season has been.
“Speechless and they tell me that I am eloquent,” he said. “Another chapter in the history of Argyle. The desire to defend, it's Liverpool, they will be with you. But the boys are fantastic.
“It's a big moment. I think I will only realize that when I leave the stadium tonight, when I go back to my apartment.
“We also needed a bit of luck, and we had that, but I feel that we earn this today. It's a magical day for us.
But we have to go again on Wednesday [against Millwall in the Championship]. We have shown togetherness today. I think we're ready. “
2 -Since the beginning of November, Plymouth has defeated so many Premier League clubs in all competitions (Brentford & Liverpool) if they have colleague championship sides (Portsmouth & West Brom). Occasion. pic.twitter.com/a9fo8teiky
– Optajoe (@Optajoe) February 9, 2025
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