Liverpool were victims of a shock FA Cup upset on Sunday as rock-bottom of the Championship, Plymouth Argyle, took full advantage of a heavily-rotated eleven selected by Arne Slot.

Ryan Hardie’s 53rd minute penalty following an erratic Harvey Elliott handball, sealed an historic victory for the Pilgrims who recorded their first win over Liverpool since 1956.

We will be taking a closer look into only a fourth defeat of the season, with five things that we learned from a largely dire display.



EXIT THE FA CUP WITH A WHIMPERLiverpool FC via Getty Images.

Arne Slot made ten changes from Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final success over Tottenham, ahead of a busy schedule, but it was the manner in which Liverpool bowed out, that supporters were most disappointed with.

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As expected, there would be a drop-off in tempo and performance in contrast to the lads that play each week, but we still expected better against a side ranked forty-three places below in the football league.

The Reds were unable to gain any type of rhythm and became more frustrated as the game went on.

A flurry of crosses and corners were unable to threaten a Plymouth defence that had conceded 63 goals after just 30 league matches, this season.

Liverpool mustered just three attempts on target all afternoon, with one being a Caoimhin Kelleher corner header in the 100th minute of added time.

Sums it all up, eh?

SENIOR PLAYERS WENT INTO HIDING

Slot put his full trust into the more senior figures on the pitch to get the job done, but that trust was not repaid after many poor performances.

Luis Diaz, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas all endured a day that they won’t look back on with any fondness, after struggling to make an impact against much weaker opposition, on paper.

On multiple occasions were Chiesa and Diaz unable to beat their full-backs, or create anything when Liverpool needed it most.

Jota was offered no service, as an inexperienced midfield struggled to keep ahold of possession long enough, to feed him into a goalscoring position.

The Portuguese one and only attempt was a instiictive volley that was well saved by Plymouth goalkeeper, Conor Hazard who produced a Man of the Match performance for his side.

GOMEZ INJURED ON IMMEDIATE RETURNJoe Gomez was forced off in the opening stages of Liverpool’s defeat to Plymouth.

Getty Images.

Joe Gomez’s unfortunate luck with injuries continued on Sunday.

The defender was handed a first start since returning from a setback only two weeks ago, and had to be substituted inside ten minutes due to a knock.

On the injury, Arne Slot remained unsure but confirmed that Gomez did not suffer a tear.

Slot said, “I’m not too sure.

I am afraid if I make one extra sprint that things will go wrong.’ It is not torn.”

When it rains, it pours for Joe Gomez, with his Liverpool career decimated by multiple injuries.

Sad to see.

SLOT’S TRANSFER PLAN JUSTIFIED

Sunday’s performance was simply not good enough from those in white and red.

It felt as if many players were playing for their futures with Arne Slot hoping to cement his own influence on the Liverpool playing squad, after dealing with a squad inherited from Jürgen Klopp.

Federico Chiesa was Liverpool’s only signing last summer who could make an immediate impact, but unfortunately we are yet to see his full ability, due to injury setbacks and a lack of fitness.

Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz and Darwin Nùñez have all been rumoured with potential departures come the end of the season, due to Slot’s growing frustrations, and their performances didn’t exactly give him a reason to rethink that stance.

FULL FOCUS ON EVERTONGetty Images.

Liverpool will have to dust themselves down after the defeat, whilst there can be a positive to take into a massive league game on Wednesday.

Sunday’s team selection means that a full-strength eleven can be selected for the final Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park, but the pressure is amplified in their game-in-hand over closest title challengers, Arsenal.

The Reds will have the opportunity to steer a huge nine points ahead of the Gunners with victory and a big psychological impact could take place for both teams, depending on the result.

Goodison is never an easy place to go, even more so given the implications around the game.

A deserved defeat but one that is tough to take.

None of the blame can be pointed towards Arne Slot for managing his squad correctly, given the tough run that gets underway this week.

Five league matches in fifteen days, including trips to Everton, Aston Villa and Manchester City mean that Liverpool must be at the races if they want to come away with a respectable amount of points.

It is set to be an exciting few weeks in the Premier League title race.

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