Liverpool 4-1 Barnsley: Premier League side side through to the fourth round but League One side put a fight
As advertised, Arne Slot fielded a strong Liverpool XI against Barnsley, more than eager to avoid the kind of upset his side experienced last season in this competition, when they were knocked out by Championship side Plymouth.
Liverpool ended up 4-1 winners but the scoreline far from told the whole story, Barnsley having put a fight, again as advertised, and certain to feel hard done by after being denied a penalty that could have levelled the scores in the second half.
A stunner from Dominik Szoboslai and excellent strike from Jeremie Frimpong had put the Premier League side two goals ahead but after Adam Phillips capitalised on Szoboszlai’s horrendous mistake to halve the lead, the tie hung in the balance until it was decided on minute 84 by Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike adding some gloss in stoppage time.
Szoboszlai’s goal was a beautiful footballing exhibit, the kind of act that even the opposing side are unable to hate. Taking a touch from 30 yards out the Hungarian let out a magnificent effort that thundered into the top corner. Before then, Barnsley had started the better team, creating a flurry of chances but were just nearly there in each occasion. Phillips rose to send a header against the post and Liverpool survived the fallout. The lively Reyes Cleary got the better of Joe Gomez but Virgil van Dijk came to the rescue.
Liverpool’s play brightened up after Szoboszlai’s goal and they began to impose themselves. Frimpong soon followed with their second through another excellent strike, cutting in from the right to leather the ball into the roof with his weaker left foot.
But Szoboszlai turned from hero to villain with a howler to gift Barnsley a goal. After intercepting a through ball, he attempted a backheeled pass to Giorgi Mamardashvili, but it was the approaching Phillips who reached it instead and passed into the net.
There was a lot to play for in the second half with matters delicately poised. Goalkeeper Murphy Cooper made a fine save to keep out Van Dijk’s volley. Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate were thrown on just before the hour mark for Frimpong, Federico Chiesa and Gomez, Slot unwilling to relinquish any of his control.
But shortly after, the score could have been level after Cleary bounded into the box and was brought down by Szoboszlai. The incident was dismissed by the referee, no video assistant referee – not at this stage – to challenge his authority. Barnsley were seething but Liverpool will argue Szoboszlai had got a touch on the ball. Several minutes later Barnsley’s manager Conor Hourihane was still raging about the decision and was booked.
Barnsley continued to push and Phillips’ shot was blocked on the goal line by Szoboszlai. Then the Liverpool man, the antihero on the night, was up again at the other end sending an inviting cross in that Wirtz failed to convert. But as the clock ticked down Barnsley tired and then Liverpool were pressing hard to end the contest. Wirtz did exactly that with six minutes to go in normal time, sending a curling shot into the top corner, before Ekitike got on the scoresheet after a square pass from the German allowed a tap-in.
