Liverpool manager Arne Slot described his team’s unexpected FA Cup defeat to second-tier Plymouth as a setback following an otherwise flawless start to his tenure.
The Reds, who had been on track for a potential quadruple of trophies, faced a surprise loss to bottom-of-the-table Championship side Argyle at Home Park. Slot made significant changes to his lineup, which ultimately proved costly.
The Dutch coach kept only goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher from the side that dominated Tottenham 4-0 on Thursday to reach the League Cup final, leaving key players such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk out of the squad altogether.
Despite the changes, Liverpool still fielded a strong attacking lineup with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Federico Chiesa in the front three, while Darwin Nunez was introduced in the second half in a bid to salvage the match.
“We weren’t having a good day. This result is the outcome,” Slot said. “It hurts everyone involved with Liverpool – the fans, the players, and me. We all wanted to stay in this competition for as long as possible, and when you go out so early, it’s a setback.”
The match was decided by Ryan Hardie’s penalty eight minutes into the second half after Harvey Elliott handled the ball in the box. Despite late attempts by Jota and Nunez to test Plymouth’s goalkeeper Conor Hazard, the hosts held on for a memorable FA Cup upset.
“The boys fought hard, but both teams created very few chances, and it came down to a penalty. In a match like this, it’s one moment that makes the difference. It was their moment, and they deserve it,” Slot reflected.
“We could have done better, but it’s a difficult system to break down. I wasn’t surprised by how aggressive they were when we had the ball. It’s tough to create chances against a team that hasn’t played together often.”
Slot added, “It wasn’t a problem of work rate, but we struggled to find opportunities. We need to be more creative.”
