Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool survived several scares before stunning goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz inspired a 4-1 victory over Barnsley to book a place in the FA Cup fourth round.
The League One side can take huge pride in their display at Anfield and may feel aggrieved after a second-half penalty appeal was controversially waved away.
Barnsley started brightly, striking the post inside 30 seconds through Davis Keillor-Dunn. Liverpool settled nerves when Szoboszlai fired in a superb 25-yard opener inside 10 minutes.
However, Barnsley continued to threaten, forcing saves from Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Reds’ quality showed again when Frimpong cut inside and finished emphatically.
Barnsley got their deserved first-half goal in bizarre fashion as former Red Adam Phillips capitalised on a misplaced Szoboszlai flick to score in front of the Kop.
The visitors remained competitive after the break, even as Virgil van Dijk saw an effort tipped onto the bar and Arne Slot introduced Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate.
Barnsley’s biggest moment came on the hour when Reyes Cleary went down under Szoboszlai’s challenge, but referee Farai Hallam dismissed the appeals.
Liverpool then sealed the tie late on, with Wirtz curling home after Ekitike’s clever flick, before the duo combined again for Ekitike to add a fourth.
The Reds will now face Brighton in the fourth round. Slot also confirmed that 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha picked up a cramp after he was replaced by Ryan Gravenberch in the 73rd minute.
He told TNT Sports: “I hope that’s cramp. I expect it to be cramp as well. He hasn’t made that many minutes this season. Today he had 70 to 75 mints. That’s good for him.
“Without wanting to disrespect them, the intensity in the Premier League is even higher. That’s a nice first stage for Rio. So keep working really really hard to play 90 at this level.”
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