Liverpool, sitting atop the Premier League, faced a shocking FA Cup exit on Sunday, falling 1-0 to Plymouth, a struggling club from the second tier. This unexpected defeat dashed the team’s aspirations for an ambitious haul of four major trophies. Currently, Liverpool maintains a six-point lead in the Premier League, has topped its group in the newly structured Champions League, and is set for a final in the English League Cup.
The pivotal moment in the match came in the 53rd minute when Ryan Hardie converted a penalty, marking the only goal of the game. Plymouth, which is currently languishing at the bottom of the Championship and recently parted ways with its manager Wayne Rooney, celebrated a remarkable victory. Hardie expressed his joy, stating, “We all came here today with a dream, and we have done it.”
In this match, Liverpool opted for a significantly altered lineup, with high-profile players like Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Virgil van Dijk absent from the squad. Nevertheless, the team still featured internationals such as Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Diogo Jota. The match saw a frenetic pace towards the end, as Plymouth worked tirelessly to stave off intense pressure from Liverpool.
As the clock wound down, Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard delivered an incredible display, notably denying Nunez’s header and an unexpected effort from Liverpool’s goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who had ventured forward for a corner. The critical decision that led to Plymouth’s penalty was made when Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott raised his hands in the box, prompting the referee to call a handball. Hardie kept his composure and placed the ball in the opposite direction of Kelleher’s dive.
“It’s a learning curve,” Elliott reflected on the match. “It’s a different game for us because we’re not used to playing these kind of games.” Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot congratulated Plymouth and admitted his side “hardly created anything at all.” He noted that the last ten minutes were perhaps Liverpool’s best but praised Plymouth for their effective game plan and relentless effort.
With this result, Plymouth made history as the first team outside of the Premier League to defeat a league leader since Wigan Athletic’s upset against Manchester City in February 2018. The atmosphere at Home Park was electric as players and fans celebrated together following the final whistle. Liverpool, a club with a storied FA Cup history and eight titles to its name, last lifted the trophy in 2022.
In another match, Marcus Rashford made his debut for Aston Villa as a substitute in a 2-1 victory over Tottenham. Villa had already taken the lead early through Jacob Ramsey, followed by a goal from Morgan Rogers, before Rashford joined the action in the 66th minute after transferring on loan from Manchester United just a week earlier. While he had a notable impact, including a clash with Tottenham’s Kevin Danso, Rashford was unable to add to the scoreline. Tottenham managed to pull one back in stoppage time with a goal from Mathys Tel.
Additionally, Wolverhampton secured their place in the next round after Brazilian players Joao Gomes and Matheus Cunha found the net within two minutes of each other, leading to a 2-0 victory at Blackburn. Gomes opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, with Cunha quickly following up to drive a low shot into the corner just moments later.
