Muhamed Tijani, Malachi Boateng and Victor Palsson of Plymouth Argyle rejoice victory after the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Spherical match towards Liverpool at Residence Park on February 9, 2025 in Plymouth, England
| Photograph Credit score: Getty Pictures
Premier League chief Liverpool was knocked out of the FA Cup by second-tier struggler Plymouth after dropping 1-0 in a shocking fourth-round upset on Sunday (February 9, 2025).
It ended any hopes of a quadruple of main trophies for Liverpool, which leads the Premier League by six factors with a recreation in hand, completed high of the revamped first stage of the Champions League and has reached the English League Cup last.
Ryan Hardie’s 53rd-minute penalty proved to be the winner for Plymouth, a membership from the southwest of England which is in final place within the second-tier Championship and lately fired Wayne Rooney as its supervisor.
“All of us got here right here as we speak with a dream,” Hardie stated, “and we now have carried out it.”
Liverpool fielded a closely rotated lineup, with out stars like Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk who weren’t even on the bench, however nonetheless had established internationals like Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota on the sphere in a frenetic ending to the sport as Plymouth was pressured to defend doggedly.
On the finish of a nerve-shredding 9 minutes of stoppage time, Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard produced a shocking save to tip over a header from Nunez after which was in the precise place to maintain out one other header — this time from Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher after he got here up for a nook.
Ultimately, the essential second was when Harvey Elliott raised his fingers to cease the ball going into the penalty space and the referee awarded a handball. Hardie composed himself and slotted his spot kick the other way to the place Kelleher dived.
Liverpool’s supervisor Arne Slot gestures as he speaks to his gamers Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, Liverpool’s Diogo Jota in the course of the match towards Plymouth
| Photograph Credit score:
AP
“They have been nice as we speak and made it actually, actually arduous for us and we could not deal with that,” Elliott stated. “It is a studying curve. It is a completely different recreation for us as a result of we’re not used to enjoying these sort of video games.”
Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot congratulated Plymouth and acknowledged his group “hardly created something in any respect.”
“In all probability our greatest a part of the sport was the final 10 minutes, in order that tells you we stored on combating,” Slot stated. “However credit score to them — good recreation plan and so they labored extremely arduous.”
Plymouth turned the primary membership from exterior the Premier League to beat a group that’s main the highest flight since Wigan eradicated Manchester Metropolis in February 2018, statistic provider Opta stated of the FA Cup.
There have been nice scenes on the last whistle as Plymouth gamers hugged one another on the sphere and followers did the identical within the stands at Residence Park.
Liverpool is an eight-time winner of the FA Cup, most lately in 2022.
Rashford makes Villa debut in win over SpursMarcus Rashford got here off the bench for his Aston Villa debut in a 2-1 win over Tottenham, which has been knocked out of two cup competitions in per week.
Villa had already scored by way of Jacob Ramsey — after simply 57 seconds — and Morgan Rogers when Rashford entered as an alternative within the 66th minute, per week after becoming a member of on mortgage from Manchester United.
The striker made his presence felt instantly, catching Kevin Danso with an elbow to the top that left blood pouring from the Tottenham defender. Rashford had a few half-chances on the break however could not mark his first look with a objective.
Mathys Tel, a deadline-day signing, pulled a objective again in stoppage time for Tottenham, which was enjoying three days after dropping to Liverpool within the English League Cup semifinals.
Wolves by way of after quickfire doubleBrazilian gamers Joao Gomes and Matheus Cunha scored within the house of two minutes to ship Wolverhampton by way of with a 2-0 win at Blackburn.
Gomes shot underneath the physique of goalkeeper Balázs Tóth to present Wolves the lead within the thirty third at Ewood Park, earlier than Cunha — who lately signed a brand new contract with the group — drove dwelling a low end into the far nook a minute later.
Printed – February 10, 2025 10:58 am IST