If there's one thing soccer teaches us, it's that predictability is a myth. And for Liverpool, that lesson came the hard way. The FA Cup, the oldest competition in the game, just added another legendary chapter: Plymouth Argyle, dead last in the EFL Championship, knocked out the undisputed Premier League leaders. With a single goal from Hardie, the home side sent a dull, sluggish, and above all unrecognizable Liverpool packing.
Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).
The underdog didn't wear stripes, but in green and white carved their name into history.
Liverpool kept passing… but never threatened
Cold stats can be deceiving. Liverpool controlled 75% of possession, but truth be told, Arne Slot's team had no idea what to do with it. The ball went side to side, over and over, with zero offensive spark.
Sure, Slot rested his starters. And he paid the price. "The result is obvious, it's a huge disappointment, and the way we played [there] didn't give us much to be happy about either," the coach admitted after the match.
On the other hand, Plymouth knew that they had nothing to lose, and they were going all out. They sure did-right from the opening whistle. Hardie nearly scored within the first minute, putting pressure on a startled Liverpool side immediately. And then when Trey Nyoni tried to respond, he ran into an organized defense.
Losing Joe Gomez to injury early didn't help the Reds, who were forced into an early substitution. But, to be frank-that's no excuse for having zero attacking ideas whatsoever. Liverpool managed just four shots in the first half, and just one of those really tested the goalkeeper. And the worst was yet to come.
The penalty that changed everything
If Liverpool were already struggling, the knockout punch came early in the second half. Plymouth emerged stronger, pressing, pushing for their moment. And in the 52nd minute, they got their reward.
Darko Gyabi whipped the ball into the box, which struck Harvey Elliott's raised arm. The referee didn't take much time in giving a penalty. Hardie stepped up and, coolly enough, sent Kelleher the wrong way and buried it. The eruption occurred. The giant was on its knees.
Slot had no choice but to react. He sent Darwin Núñez on, trying to add some firepower. But it was too late. Plymouth, already locked into their defensive plan, dropped even deeper, closing every gap and standing firm.
They even came close to doubling the lead. Hardie, again, rattled the outside of the post, inches away from turning the fairytale into a rout.
Meanwhile, Liverpool remained predictable. Chiesa tried to set up Luis Díaz, whose shot was weak. James McConnell had a decent chance late on but fired wide. When the Reds finally hit the target, they ran into Conor Hazard, who was having the game of his life.
In stoppage time, Jota and Núñez gave it one last push, but there was no miracle. Liverpool fell to a team that was simply more disciplined, more organized, and, on the night, far more effective.
Slot admits mistakes but stands by his approach
After the final whistle, Arne Slot didn't hide his disappointment—but he also refused to blame his squad rotation. In his view, Liverpool would've struggled even with their starters.
"No, because you never know what would have happened if we had played our starters here. I think we've seen a few times this season that it's a game plan, a style of play that's difficult not just for our starters but also for those that played today."
The coach explained that some players needed minutes, and regardless of who was on the pitch, this was never going to be an easy game.
"So, constantly long balls, second balls, long balls, second balls. It’s tough for every team. We had problems with [Manchester] United at home too, for example. They had a similar approach, sitting deep [and then] launching every ball forward."
And Plymouth executed that plan to perfection. They identified Liverpool's weaknesses and exploited them. Slot acknowledged that his team needs rhythm going into the final stretch of the season.
"For them to be ready in the coming months, they need playing time, and today you saw that some of these players really need games like this to be ready for the last three months of the season."
But none of that matters to the fans. The FA Cup was a real chance at a title, and crashing out this early, against the last-place team in the Championship, is a brutal embarrassment.
Liverpool can still finish the season strong, but this loss serves as a reminder: there's no room for complacency in knockout soccer.
It would be a day that Plymouth Argyle would always remember. For this is one of those magic moments that make soccer arguably the most unpredictable sport in the world. The giants fall, and the underdogs rise. In 2025, no upset is bigger than Plymouth Argyle's.