9th February 2025
Liverpool suffered a shocking FA Cup exit as Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle ended their quadruple bid with a dramatic 1-0 victory in the fourth round.
Arne Slot’s decision to field a heavily rotated squad backfired, with key players like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Cody Gakpo rested. Liverpool struggled for rhythm, managing just one shot on target in the first half. Plymouth, meanwhile, stayed resilient and took their chance in the 54th minute when Ryan Hardie converted a penalty after Harvey Elliott’s handball.
Despite late pressure, including chances for Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez, Liverpool couldn’t break through as Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard produced a heroic display. The defeat marks only the fourth time a Premier League leader has been knocked out by a lower-league side in FA Cup history.
Plymouth’s triumph is another milestone for new manager Miron Muslic, who took over in January after Wayne Rooney’s departure. His team, struggling in the Championship, had already beaten Brentford in the previous round and now pulled off one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history.
Liverpool, suffering only their fourth defeat of the season, must regroup quickly ahead of Wednesday’s Merseyside derby against Everton. They remain in contention for the Premier League title, Champions League, and League Cup, but this loss is a major setback in their pursuit of multiple trophies.
