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Beth Lindop
LIVERPOOL, England — Dominik Szoboszlai had a night filled with highs and lows.
Just 30 minutes into Liverpool’s FA Cup third-round match against League One’s Barnsley, Szoboszlai scored a stunning goal to give the home side the lead. However, shortly after, a poorly executed backheel attempt in his own box allowed lifelong Liverpool supporter Adam Phillips to slide the ball into the net, drawing Barnsley level.
In the second half of the match—which Liverpool won 4-1—Szoboszlai’s challenge on Reyes Cleary led to shouts for a Barnsley penalty. Later, he made a critical defensive play, heading Phillips’ goal-bound shot off the line as his team faced increasing pressure from the visitors.
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Szoboszlai’s energetic display mirrored Liverpool’s turbulent season, showcasing moments of brilliance alongside avoidable mistakes. The win over Barnsley marked just the second time in 31 matches that Arne Slot’s squad has triumphed by a margin of three goals or more, needing Florian Wirtz’s late goal in the 84th minute to truly secure the victory.
Given that 57 leagues separated the Premier League titleholders from their lower-tier opponents, Slot likely expected a more commanding performance. Now advancing to the fourth round, he sees the FA Cup as a potential pathway to silverware this season.
After experiencing setbacks due to squad rotation against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in October, Slot had committed to selecting a stronger lineup for this match, making six changes from the side that recently drew with Arsenal. Among the fresh faces were midfielder Rio Ngumoha and defender Joe Gomez, but the disparity in quality between the two teams was evident on the field.
Barnsley entered the match with nothing to lose, nearly taking an early lead when Davis Keillor-Dunn’s header hit the post within the first 30 seconds. Szoboszlai’s long-range goal came as a harsh reality for Barnsley, although Jeremie Frimpong’s excellent solo effort in the 36th minute seemed to push the match out of reach for the visitors.
Nevertheless, Liverpool’s proclivity for complicating their matches resurfaced when Szoboszlai’s miscalculation allowed Phillips to score from close range. Having spent eight years in Liverpool’s academy, Phillips celebrated this moment against his former club despite the frustrating blunder it stemmed from.
Post-match, Slot lamented the team’s tendency to concede preventable goals, emphasizing the impact of such errors on the match’s momentum.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve found ourselves in a comfortable position only to concede an easy goal,” Slot noted. “When you’re 2-0 up, it can shift the mindset of the opposition. They become more aggressive in their defending, potentially giving you opportunities to extend your lead. Giving away easy goals changes everything for us.”
For Liverpool, addressing this concerning habit is crucial for achieving the consistency they need going forward in the season.
Despite the ups and downs, the Reds have gone eleven matches unbeaten across all competitions. One bright spot in this stretch has been the emergence of summer signing Wirtz. After a slow start following his £100 million move from Bayer Leverkusen, he has contributed five goals in his last six outings, including a strike against Barnsley and an assist for Hugo Ekitike in stoppage time.
“The 60,000 fans were incredible tonight,” Slot expressed. “We wished to secure a more decisive victory rather than leave it as close as 2-1 until the 84th minute. We will aim for improvement.”
Slot is aware that a stronger performance will be required as they face Brighton & Hove Albion in the next round. Last season, they were eliminated at the same stage by Plymouth Argyle, but bouncing back with a Premier League title soon thereafter alleviated that disappointment.
With Liverpool currently lagging in the title race and already out of the Carabao Cup, a successful FA Cup run could play a vital role in reviving their disappointing campaign.