Liverpool defeats Barnsley after Szoboszlai mistake

Dominik Szoboszlai has scored a stunner and gave away a howler as Liverpool beat third-tier Barnsley 4-1 on Monday to set up a home FA Cup fourth round clash with Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Hungarian opened Liverpool's account with a long-range screamer in the ninth minute after Barnsley's Davis Keillor-Dunn had bounced a header off the home upright inside the first 30 seconds.

Right back Jeremie Frimpong, on his FA Cup debut, unleashed a tremendous left-footed effort in the 36th to put Liverpool 2-0 up at a chilly Anfield.

Szoboszlai then veered from the sublime to the ridiculous in a moment of jaw-dropping carelessness that handed Barnsley a lifeline in the 40th minute.

Seemingly attempting to backheel to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, the Hungarian instead left the ball perfectly teed up for Barnsley's Adam Phillips, who spent eight years in Liverpool's academy, to lash home at the Kop End.

STRONG STARTING LINEUP

Liverpool made it 3-1 in the 84th when second-half substitute Florian Wirtz made amends for a glaring earlier miss by curling a shot into the top right corner to put the outcome beyond doubt.

Hugo Ekitike, also coming off the bench, added the icing on the cake with the fourth assisted by Wirtz in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

The hosts, who suffered a shock fourth round defeat last year to second-tier Plymouth Argyle, showed they were taking the game seriously by fielding a stronger than expected starting lineup.

Manager Arne Slot made six changes in his starting lineup to the side that drew 0-0 at Premier League leaders Arsenal last Thursday.

Barnsley still made it hard for them, fighting for every ball and fuming at being denied a penalty in the 61st minute when forward Reyes Cleary went down after a challenge from Szoboszlai with no VAR until the fifth round.

Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane was booked for his reaction and said after the game that Szoboszlai had also been "disrespectful" in attempting the botched backheel.

"I don't think a player does that against Chelsea against Arsenal or in a Champions League game. I'm a little bit disappointed with that to be honest," said the Irishman.

Slot gave that short shrift, without sparing his player:

"What does he mean disrespectful? I don't think you should do that in a Premier League game, League Cup game, friendly game or a training session," said the Dutchman.

"It's a weird choice and I also have my opinion about it but I prefer to keep that to myself and speak about it with Dom."

Szoboszlai apologised to the team: "I made it hard for us with the easy mistake, I would say. Football happens, we move on. We go to the next round," he told TNT Sports.

"We wanted to show we take the FA Cup seriously. We showed today we need the whole squad, they also showed quality. We need everyone."