Liverpool walk alone: Plymouth Argyle stun Reds in FA cup shock
Championship side Plymouth Argyle produced a stunning FA Cup upset, defeating Premier League leaders Liverpool 1-0 in the fourth round.
A second-half penalty from Ryan Hardie secured the shock victory, sending Home Park into wild celebrations.
The penalty was awarded after Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott was penalized for handball inside the box.
Hardie made no mistake from the spot, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Liverpool dominated possession but struggled to break down Plymouth’s well-organized defense.
Goalkeeper Conor Hazard delivered an outstanding performance, making crucial saves to deny the Reds an equalizer.
The defeat marks one of Liverpool’s most surprising FA Cup exits in recent years, while Plymouth’s remarkable victory sees them advance to the fifth round for the first time in decades.
Elsewhere, Brighton & Hove Albion eliminated Chelsea with a 2-1 comeback win, overcoming an early own goal with strikes from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma.
Manchester United secured a controversial 2-1 victory over Leicester City, with Harry Maguire’s stoppage-time winner standing despite appearing offside.
With VAR not in use until the next round, Leicester’s manager Ruud van Nistelrooy expressed frustration over the decision.
Millwall defeated Leeds United 2-0, but the match was marred by inappropriate chants from sections of the crowd, prompting condemnation from both clubs.
With the draw for the fifth round set for February 10, teams will now prepare for the next stage, where VAR will come into play, reducing the likelihood of further refereeing controversies.
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