Plymouth stun Liverpool in FA Cup upset

By SABC Sport
10th February 2025

Plymouth Argyle's resilience paid off as they defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the FA Cup fourth round, securing a memorable victory at their home ground.

Arne Slot, the Liverpool manager, acknowledged Plymouth's performance, stating, "Great game from Plymouth. Good game plan. They deserve all credit for the performance. We were not having a very good day, and a result like this is the outcome."

The match was decided by a Ryan Hardie penalty in the 53rd minute, with both teams struggling to create clear scoring opportunities.

Slot reflected on the game's decisive moment, "In such games, it is up to one moment, and that went for them. They played a good game and deserved it."

Despite the loss, Slot praised his team's effort, "I can't say the boys didn't fight because they were for 100 minutes or so. The players kept on fighting till the last moment.

"It wasn't a work rate problem. They worked really hard but they could not find any openings and chances."

He also gave credit to Plymouth's tactical setup, "Plymouth have a system and a way of playing where it is quite hard to create chances against. They were really aggressive when we had the ball.

"We expected the players to play a better game than this but we have to give credit to Plymouth as well."

The defeat was a significant blow for Liverpool, aiming to compete on all fronts. Slot expressed his disappointment, "It hurts everyone associated with Liverpool - fans, me, and the players. We all wanted to be in the FA Cup and compete for as long as possible. It is a setback."

Slot also touched on his team selection strategy, noting the need for squad rotation and game time for less regular players, "I think we've seen during this season, we've seen a few times already, that it's a game plan, a playing style, which is difficult for our starters, but also for the ones that played today.

"These players need game rhythm as well. For them to be ready in the upcoming months, they need game time."

This match serves as a reminder of the FA Cup's capacity for surprises, with Plymouth's victory highlighting their potential and tactical acumen in the competition.