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Beth Lindop
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has called out teammate Dominik Szoboszlai for his careless backheel during their FA Cup match against Barnsley, labeling it “unacceptable.” He emphasized that the Reds must refrain from giving opponents any chances if they wish to succeed.
Liverpool had established a 2-0 lead in the FA Cup third round clash when Szoboszlai’s mishandled clearance allowed Barnsley midfielder Adam Phillips to score and narrow the gap.
Although Arne Slot’s team eventually won 4-1, Szoboszlai faced significant criticism for his mistake, with Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane calling it “disrespectful.”
When asked if Szoboszlai’s error gave Barnsley a way back into the match at Anfield, Robertson remarked: “That’s putting it mildly! The frustrating part is that Dom made this fantastic 60-yard sprint initially and was receiving applause from the Kop, and I wonder if that went to his head.”
“We can laugh about it now, but losing a goal like that is unacceptable. Dom knows it himself. He’s been outstanding for us this season, and he had a moment of lapse in concentration. We can’t afford many of those, especially in the six-yard box. I think Gio [Mamardashvili] wasn’t too pleased either.”
“He aims for a clean sheet, and so does our defense, so that was disappointing. It opened the door for them and made it a nervy 2-1 for quite a while. Thankfully, we managed to get through at the end.”
“We all had something to say to Szoboszlai right after it happened, and he recognized his mistake and apologized at half-time. No one can fault his performances this season; he’s given 100% every game. However, that lapse was unfortunate, and we need to avoid such errors in crucial matches.”
On Liverpool’s tendency to allow opponents back into the game, Robertson stated: “That’s the most exasperating part. This season, we’ve let teams back into matches too often. From the first game of the season, we have been punished in terms of losing or drawing matches.”
“At 2-0, we were in control, so conceding that goal raises questions. It’s clear it was an individual mistake, but overall we managed to limit their chances, which is a positive. In the end, it was crucial to get that third and fourth goal. Our subs made a significant impact.”
“It’s about getting through these matches. We’ve seen some Premier League teams eliminated by lower-tier opposition, so we’re relieved that wasn’t our fate.”
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“We’ve seen improvement over the past few weeks, looking more secure defensively, which is encouraging. Now, we must find a way to blend our offense and defense because people say we lack attacking threat.”
“Earlier in the season, we were strong going forward but possibly too vulnerable at the back. We have somewhat reversed that trend now. To win trophies and advance in tournaments, a perfect balance is crucial, and that’s what we are striving for.”