In a stunning fourth-round FA Cup upset on Sunday, Premier League leaders Liverpool were eliminated following a 1-0 defeat to Plymouth. The loss abruptly ended Liverpool’s ambitions of securing a historic quadruple, as the team had been chasing major trophies this season by leading the Premier League by six points with a game in hand, topping the revamped first stage of the Champions League, and advancing to the English League Cup final.
The decisive moment came in the 53rd minute when Ryan Hardie converted a penalty, handing Plymouth the winning goal. Despite their current struggles—Plymouth sits at the bottom of the second-tier Championship and recently dismissed manager Wayne Rooney—the club managed to pull off a memorable victory against one of England's elite teams.
Liverpool’s defeat was compounded by the decision to field a heavily rotated lineup, missing key figures such as Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Virgil van Dijk. The absence of these stars ultimately proved costly, as the experimental squad was unable to match Plymouth’s determination on the day.
.jpeg)
