There is not a lot to gain as a Premier League behemoth when playing a plucky lower-league outfit in the FA Cup early rounds – but, as demonstrated by Crystal Palace on Saturday, there is an awful lot to lose.
Had the Reds done what Manchester City, for example, did at the weekend and wiped the floor with their EFL visitors then the verdicts would all be ‘well, it’s only Barnsley’. Yet if they had lost, as Oliver Glasner’s holders did, the negativity would reach deafening noise levels.
As it was, neither really happened. Liverpool beat Conor Hourihane’s brave Barnsley 4-1 while also showing some blemishes. Some nice moments, some not so pretty but the main thing for Arne Slot is probably the victory.
Good job Slot went strong
There was maybe a hint of surprise on Sunday when Slot said at his press conference that he would go strong for this tie having learned from last season’s shock exit at Plymouth, plus a Carabao Cup knock-out this season when Crystal Palace beat his weak XI.
Virgil van Dijk, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were among the headline names starting for Liverpool, while Hugo Ekitike, Ibrahima Konate and Florian Wirtz were needed from the bench in the second half.
That, in itself, should emphasise how tough this test was – and full credit to young Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane, their players and fans for that.
Arne Slot made the right call fielding a strong side in Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Barnsley
The likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk both started the FA Cup third round tie
When going 2-0 down, the Tykes never gave up and, had Lady Luck been shining over them in front of goal after the break, Barnsley might have been leaving Anfield with a memorable victory just like they did in 2008.
Hourihane’s men have won just three of 14 League One games since the end of November so it is hardly like they came here as a team in form. They were fearless and made this a typical FA Cup third-round scrappy affair.
But the fact Barnsley’s number in the Anfield Road End had a swathe of things to shout about should worry Liverpool fans – their team were far from their best, in terms of the performance level, yet again.
There were gaping holes in the middle of the pitch and better finishers – such as Brighton, who will come here in round four – might have punished them. The only thing that matters sometimes is the result but this display left a lot to be desired by Liverpool.
Big Mama proves his worth
Giorgi Mamardashvili was probably busier than he expected during his run as starting goalkeeper in the autumn when Alisson was injured – and this spell also coincided with the nadir of Liverpool’s turgid form.
Indeed, the Georgian goalkeeper has lost four of his five Premier League outings, conceding 10 goals in the process – which is probably not what he forecasted when he signed from Valencia in the summer.
The pattern of play in this game was probably more like what a Liverpool shot-stopper is used to facing: the Reds in complete control with little happening at the other end, yet a need to be mentally sharp for the rare attacks of the opposition.
That was the case with Barnsley, though it took only 30 seconds for Mamardashvili to be called into action when he saw an away header narrowly glance the post. He also made several good saves as the Tykes ventured forward regularly.
No 2 keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili impressed during a rare appearance between the sticks
Mamardashvili was signed as a long-term Alisson replacement and, though he was far from problem No 1 during that poor run of form, he did not exactly show he was the second coming of the Brazilian shot-stopper.
A few positive saves here – he could do nothing about Dominik Szoboszlai’s mishap – were a step in the right direction. Given Alisson’s injury history over the last three years, it may not be too long before Mamardashvili is back in the starting XI.
Did Ngumoha take his chance?
Rio Ngumoha is in an awkward space where he is too good for the academy sides and needed on the first-team bench – but not quite at the level, fitness or quality (at least in Slot’s eyes), to force his way into the main XI.
He had a quiet first half against Barnsley, a year on from his first-team debut in this round against Accrington Stanley, but started to impact the match more after the break with a sumptuous cross that Curtis Jones should have got on the end of.
Against Leeds on New Year’s Day, Ngumoha showed he can make an impact at Premier League level yet we barely see him and fans have a growing clamour for the youngster to get more minutes.
Yet his night ended on a sour note with the 17-year-old pulled up, appearing to tweak his hamstring, and had to be substituted.
