Liverpool suffered a stunning FA Cup exit on Sunday, falling 1-0 to Championship strugglers Plymouth in one of the competition’s biggest surprises. Despite a largely successful first season under manager Arne Slot, this defeat marked a rare blunder for the former Feyenoord boss.
It was only the fourth time in history that a Premier League leader had been eliminated from the FA Cup by a lower division club. Slot admitted that the result was a product of his team’s poor performance: “We were not having a very good day. A result like this is the outcome.”
In a fairytale turn of events, Plymouth Argyle, managed by Miron Muslic, pulled off a memorable victory. Muslic, who took over the managerial reins in January following Wayne Rooney’s departure, made history as he guided his side to their first-ever FA Cup win over Liverpool. A former refugee from war-torn Bosnia, Muslic’s story added an emotional layer to the win, marking a personal triumph.
Muslic, who was forced to flee his hometown of Bihac in 1992 after it was besieged during the Bosnian War, reflected on his incredible journey: “I’m speechless, and normally they tell me I’m eloquent! It’s a big day for us. It’s a magical day. I told the lads in the locker room to enjoy it.”
This victory for Plymouth follows their third-round triumph over Premier League side Brentford, but beating Liverpool—currently at the top of the Premier League—is undoubtedly the most monumental achievement in the club’s history.
The Turning Point: A Controversial Penalty
Plymouth’s resilience was key to their success. Their first breakthrough came in the 54th minute when Darko Gyabi’s overhead kick struck Harvey Elliott’s raised arm, resulting in a clear penalty. Ryan Hardie calmly converted, sending Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher the wrong way.
Despite a late push from Liverpool—with Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez both denied by superb saves from Plymouth’s goalkeeper Conor Hazard—the underdogs held firm. Home Park erupted in celebration as Plymouth secured one of the FA Cup’s most shocking giant-killings.
Aston Villa’s Dominant Win Over Tottenham
Meanwhile, Aston Villa cruised past Tottenham with a 2-0 victory in their FA Cup clash. Tottenham, already reeling from a humbling loss to Liverpool in the League Cup earlier in the week, failed to recover in this encounter.
The writing was on the wall for Spurs after just one minute when goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky allowed a weak shot from Jacob Ramsey to slip through his hands. Son Heung-min had a golden opportunity to equalize but was thwarted by Villa’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez before the break.
As the match wore on, Morgan Rogers sealed Tottenham’s fate with a close-range strike 25 minutes from time, putting Aston Villa firmly in control.
A Late Goal for Spurs, But Too Little, Too Late
While Marcus Rashford made his debut for Villa after completing a January loan move from Manchester United, it was Mathys Tel, another January signing, who impressed off the bench for Tottenham, scoring his first goal for the club in stoppage time. However, it was a mere consolation as Spurs’ struggles continued.
With Tottenham now sitting in 14th place in the Premier League and facing the prospect of another season without silverware since their last trophy in 2008, manager Ange Postecoglou faces mounting pressure.
In his post-match interview, Postecoglou remained defiant about his future: “Nothing really changes. There’ll be an opportunity to recover now and get some players back over the next couple of weeks. We look forward to resetting and finishing the season strong.”
Wolves Cruise into the Fifth Round
In other FA Cup action, Wolves advanced to the fifth round with a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers. The Premier League side sealed their win with two quickfire goals in the space of 39 seconds from Joao Gomes and Matheus Cunha.