Plymouth 1-0 Liverpool (Hardie pen 53′)
Liverpool‘s dream of a trophy quadruple is over after an embarrassing defeat to Plymouth in the FA Cup fourth round.
Arne Slot named an incredibly young and inexperienced squad, making 10 changes from the Tottenham win, leaving behind the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch.
Seventeen-year-old midfielder Trey Nyoni was handed a start alongside fellow academy youngster James McConnell, while fellow U21s Isaac Mabaya and Trent Kone-Doherty also came off the bench.
But as did Darwin Nunez, who’s late header was flicked over the bar by Argyle keeper Conor Hazard, a sign of the quality Liverpool still had available.
Plymouth, who sit bottom of the Championship having sacked head coach Wayne Rooney on New Year’s Eve, scored through a Ryan Hardie penalty after a Harvey Elliott handball.
That was one of just two shots on target Argyle managed all game, alongside 25 per cent possession, but they took advantage of a second-choice and second-rate Liverpool
This defeat means Slot’s side have been knocked out of a competition for the first time this season, ruining the prospects of a perfect campaign from a team which has appeared all-conquering and borderline invincible..
But under new boss Miron Muslic Plymouth have lost just two of their seven matches, and this result will inspire hope anew at Home Park.
This was just the fourth time the team leading the English top flight have been knocked out of the FA Cup by a lower-league side, and the third match this season in which Liverpool have failed to score.
Plymouth are one of five second-tier sides through to the fifth round so far, alongside Burnley, Millwall, Preston and Cardiff City.
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