Liverpool had to take an embarrassing defeat on the chin on Sunday after being dumped out of the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle.

The Pilgrims fully deserved their win having got the better of a much-changed Reds team at Home Park.

Liverpool were comfortable favourites to go through to the fifth round despite leaving almost a full regular starting XI back at home on Merseyside.

But the game started in less than convincing fashion for the Reds, with Joe Gomez going off with an injury barely 10 minutes into proceedings.

Arne Slot reveals why he took off Isaac Mabaya	Arne Slot had 2 reasons for brutal substitution of Liverpool debutant Isaac Mabaya vs Plymouth	Arne Slot makes ruthless sub as debutant faces humbling moment in Liverpool FA Cup shock

In his place came Isaac Mabaya.

Despite being in and around the first team Liverpool squad during pre-seasons past, Sunday’s FA Cup game represented Mabaya’s senior debut for the Reds.

However, things turned sour for the 20-year-old when he was substituted off for Darwin Nunez before the hour mark.

Having taken off the man he’d only brought on 50 minutes or so before, Arne Slot explained himself at full-time.

Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Mabaya was thrown into a difficult situation at Home Park.

Liverpool had not started well and would arguably go on to only get worse.

In isolation, the youngster did not do a bad job.

He did pick up a silly booking, though, which according to Slot played a big part in his decision to withdraw Mabaya early in the second-half.

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“I think it’s a fantastic moment for every player to make his debut, for him as well,” began the Liverpool head coach when asked what he’d told the right-back when taking him off.

I felt I had to tell him because making your debut and to then be taken off after an hour or something like that is very disappointing for him of course.”

While it was a disappointing debut for Mabaya, he can at least console himself that it was not as bad a fate as Amara Nallo suffered when playing for the first time in January.

On Sunday, though, the better Liverpool debut belonged to Trent Kone-Doherty.

Kone-Doherty has been excellent in the academy this season and it was a great moment to see him get on for the final 15 minutes in the FA Cup.

Although he didn’t see loads of the ball, the 18-year-old showed some glimpses of why he’s so highly rated within the Liverpool academy.

Better days will lie ahead for both Mabaya and Kone-Doherty.