Dominik Szoboszlai made an incredible mistake as Liverpool beat Barnsley in the FA Cup third round at Anfield. After making it 1-0 with a stunning long-range attack, the Hungarian made a colossal mistake in front of the Kop, allowing former Liverpool youngster Adam Phillips to make it 2-1 five minutes before half-time, giving the Ligue 1 side any hope of a spectacular comeback.
TNT Sports co-commentator Ally McCoist responded: “I’m absolutely stunned by what I just saw. I really am. He’s officially gone from sublime to ridiculous.” The Liverpool midfielder tracked back well to prevent Phillips from latching on to the loose ball and going one-on-one with goalkeeper Giorgi Mamadashvili. Szoboszlai then carried the ball into his own box, but did not clear it and attempted a backheel onto Mamadashvili just six yards from goal. The scorer did everything wrong and gave the ball away to Phillips, who thankfully struck from close range to halve the lead.
Szoboszlai put the hosts ahead with a ferocious 25-yard shot over Barnsley goalkeeper Murphy Cooper. Another great goal, this time from Jeremy Frimpong, doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 36th minute.
However, in the 40th minute, a misjudgment by Szoboszlai allowed Barnsley to score. Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman told TNT at half-time: “I don’t like that at all. I know the players said it was a mistake. I don’t like that. You would never do that in a football match. He would never do that against Arsenal, he would never do that against Man City. Why would he do that against Barnsley? I’ll never know.”
“There must have been something in his mind. In the first half he was swinging the ball around comfortably. You don’t do that in that area. That’s a big mistake. Mamadashvili didn’t want it. He was walking away. I don’t know why he did that!”
Colleague Joleon Lescott added: “It seems like it was an arrogant mistake. That’s not good. No matter what the scoreline is, there’s no time for a backheel in the six-yard box.”
McCoist added in commentary: “I don’t know what Szoboszlai is thinking. He adapts to the run brilliantly. When he gets in front of the attacker, defensively his job is almost done. Is he trying to stand on the ball or is he trying to backheel… oh he is. He’s trying to backheel!”
“What on earth is he thinking there? It’s unbelievable. It’s just unbelievable. He scored a great goal a while ago, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player of that quality do something like that in a place he shouldn’t be thinking about. I’m stunned by that.”
“He could have been the best player on the pitch for 40 minutes and he did that! I can’t believe what I saw there.”
With some relief from Szoboszlai, late goals from substitute Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike put Liverpool ahead 4-1. Their next match will be at home against Brighton & Hove Albion. The Seagulls won 2-1 away at Old Trafford in matchday three, eliminating Manchester United.
