Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his disappointment following his team’s unexpected FA Cup elimination at the hands of second-tier Plymouth, describing the defeat as a setback after an otherwise near-perfect start to his tenure.
The Reds, who had been chasing a potential quadruple of trophies, were stunned at Home Park, where Plymouth, currently at the bottom of the Championship, triumphed despite Liverpool’s formidable squad.
Slot opted for a heavily rotated lineup, with only goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher retained from the 4-0 win over Tottenham on Thursday, which secured a place in the League Cup final.
Star players Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were both left out of the matchday squad entirely.
Despite the changes, Liverpool still had a strong lineup, featuring Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Federico Chiesa in attack, with Darwin Nunez brought on in the second half to try and turn the game around.
“We were not having a very good day. A result like this is the outcome,” said Slot. “It hurts everyone that is involved with Liverpool—fans, me, players. We were all wanting to be in this competition for as long as possible, and when you go out in the second possible game, that’s a setback.”
The match was decided by a penalty from Ryan Hardie, awarded after Harvey Elliott handled the ball in the box early in the second half.
Despite late pressure from Jota and Nunez, who both forced Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard into crucial saves, the home side held firm for one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history.
“I can’t say the boys didn’t fight; both teams barely created a chance, and then it was a penalty. In a game like this, it is up to one moment. That moment was for them, and they deserve it,” added Slot.
“We struggled to create chances, and Plymouth’s aggressive play made it difficult. It wasn’t a work rate problem, but we need to be more creative.”
