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Plymouth 1 Liverpool 0: Prem leaders OUT of FA Cup as rock bottom club cause shock seen for just fourth time in history
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RYAN HARDIE left Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Quad in tatters by firing home a 53rd-minute penalty as Plymouth fans went berserk at Home Park.
The Premier League leaders will rue making TEN changes and loading their bench with inexperienced kids as they deservedly crashed out of the FA Cup against the Championship’s bottom club.
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Harvey Elliott, 21, should have known better than to raise both his hands above head as the ball was played into the box and took a flick off Plymouth midfielder Darko Gyabi’s head.
It struck one of his hands and ref Sam Barrott pointed to the spot.
Hardie banished the ghost of four years ago when he missed a penalty that would have seen Argyle take Chelsea to penalties at Stamford Bridge four years ago by sending Caoimhin Kelleher the wrong way.
Arne Slot has had to manage the squad this week with three games in the space of six days so rung the changes.
Only keeper Kelleher kept his place from the Liverpool team that thumped Tottenham 4-0 on Thursday.
Seventeeen-year-old Treymaurice Nyoni made only the second start of his senior career while James McConnell, 20, also was in the XI for the second time, having played against PSV Eindhoven in the Champoions League.
Harvey Elliott, 21, joked before kick-off that he even felt old with four teenagers on the bench — including 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha.
There was almost a carnival atmosphere inside Home Park.
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Argyle, while a League Two club, famously held Liverpool to a goalless draw in 2007
Ryan Hardie had an early chance to get the hosts off to flyer after being put in by Callum Wright but his effort was charged down.
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Then Hardie had the beating of Joe Gomez, who was struggling early on the right flank, but Kelleher quickly smothered his cross ahead of Wright who was ready to pounce.
Liverpool were dealt an early blow when captain for the day, Gomez, who has recently recovered from a hamstring injury, hobbled off and was replaced by 20-year-old Isaac Mabaya.
Dioga Jota took over the captain’s armband.
Plymouth’s Nikola Katic had blood pouring out of his mouth and needed treatment after colliding with a team-mate.
Tymoteusz Puchacz celebrated as though he had score after a crunching tackle took the ball off Luis Diaz as the Liverpool ace was about to strike.
The Merseysiders were struggling to get into their stride early on as they moved the ball too slowly against an organised Argyle shape.
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Mustapha Bundu tried to weave through the Liverpool defence but Kostas Tsimikas managed to stop him in his tracks as he was set to shoot 12 yards out.
It was not until the 35th minute that a keeper had to make a save.
Argyle’s Conor Hazard had to be alert to get down low to push away a 20-yard McConnell effort that took a deflection off Darko Gyabi,
Gyabi missed a glorious chance to fire Plymouth in front when he got on the end of a Nikola Katic flicked effort — but blazed over from 16 yards. He should have been at least hitting the target with no real pressure on him.
Slot kept things as they were for the second half and Argyle again almost snatched the lead.
Wright charged forward and his angled effort from the left edge of the box was deflected wide by Mabaya.
Elliott, though, handed Plymouth a gift when he incredibly held both arms above his head as a x cross came in. The ball struck him and ref Sam Barrott pointed to the spot.
Hardie stepped up to send Kelleher the wrong way by shooting into the bottom left corner.
Incredibly, it should have been 2-0 when Nikola Katic flicked the ball on and Hardie struck the right post.
Slot promptly brought on Nunez for Mabaya as Plymouth fans cheekily chanted “You’re going to be sacked in the morning” towards Liverpool’s Dutch boss.
Defender Julio Pleguezuelo, who had ran himself in to the ground, was replaced by Victor Palsson, 33, who started his career at Liverpool without making a first-team appearance.
The visitors started to ramp up the pressure.
But Matt Sorinola brilliantly took the ball off Nunez’s feet as he looked to pull the trigger after he was played in.
Darwin also hammered an effort wide.
Slot decided not to throw on Curtis Jones and instead opted to bring on Doherty for Nyoni
Incredibly, McConnell missed a wonderful chance to earn Liverpool a lifeline.
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After Hazard off his line flapping at a long ball in, it fell to McConnell who volleyed wide of the open goal.
And McConnell was unlucky as he saw a late thumping effort kept out by Hazard.
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