Liverpool Cruise Past Barnsley Without Breaking a Sweat: Player Ratings from Dominant FA Cup Display

While it may not have been the dominant display many anticipated, Liverpool managed to claim a 4–1 victory against League One outfit Barnsley in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday night.

Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool ahead early with a spectacular long-range effort. Jeremie Frimpong extended the lead, though his strike was quickly cancelled out by a dreadful error from Szoboszlai that allowed Adam Phillips to pull one back for Barnsley before halftime.

Though lacking in flair, Arne Slot's team maintained their grip on the game after the break and eventually, Florian Wirtz netted a brilliant goal that sealed Liverpool's triumph at Anfield late in the contest. Hugo Ekitike then added the finishing touch with a goal in added time to cap off a convincing win.

Despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise, it was hardly a commanding display from the reigning English champions considering the quality of their opponents. Nevertheless, the outcome is what counts and the Reds have advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they will meet Brighton & Hove Albion.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Barnsley (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings courtesy of FotMob*

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili—6.6: Produced several decent stops to preserve Liverpool's lead but showed inconsistency in his passing. He couldn't do anything about Dominik Szoboszlai's error that led to Barnsley's goal.

RB: Jeremie Frimpong—7.6: Excellent in attack, completing 36 of his 37 pass attempts and netting a superb goal. Yet, he continues to be a liability defensively with most of the visitors' threatening moves coming after they beat the Dutchman.

CB: Joe Gomez—6.8: Appeared very unsettled throughout much of the evening, particularly under pressure, leading to several risky passes that fortunately didn't result in turnovers near the box.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—7.6: Enjoyed a relatively calm evening, though Davis Keillor-Dunn did manage to get past him due to slack marking. Showed improvement after the interval and took charge of the defense.

LB: Andrew Robertson—7.4: Robertson performed well defensively when called upon but was occasionally sloppy in possession, giving away straightforward passes that prevented Liverpool from maintaining rhythm.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister—8.8: Outstanding in the middle of the park, consistently evading Barnsley's pressure with clever quick passes and orchestrating Liverpool's finest spells of possession. Recording two assists should lift his spirits following a disappointing campaign thus far.

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai—9.2: Completed a spectacular strike to break the deadlock before committing one of the season's most glaring errors that allowed Barnsley back into the match. Despite the mistake, he was exceptional throughout and stood out as the match's top performer.

RW: Federico Chiesa—6.5: A largely invisible performance from the Italian, who struggled to beat his opponent and spent most of his time playing safe passes backward.

AM: Curtis Jones—8.0: The homegrown talent played in a more advanced role and created several promising opportunities that fellow attackers couldn't finish. He remained involved consistently and delivered a solid display overall.

LW: Rio Ngumoha—7.3: Appeared eager to make his mark from kickoff, repeatedly challenging his defender and often looking dangerous albeit slightly imprecise. An encouraging performance from the youngster ended when he left the field due to a fitness concern.

ST: Cody Gakpo—7.6: Struggled to influence the game against Barnsley defenders, who clearly understood that Gakpo would invariably attempt to cut onto his right foot. The blueprint for neutralizing the Dutchman became crystal clear.

Unused substitutes: Allison (GK), Calvin Ramsey, Milos Kerkez, Wataru Endo.

Barnsley (5-4-1)

Starting XI: Murphy Cooper; Corey O'Keeffe, Tennai Watson, Maël Durand de Gevigney, Jack Shepherd, Nathanael Ogbeta; Adam Phillips, Jonathan Bland, Vimal Yoganathan, Reyes Cleary; Davis Keillor-Dunn

Substitutes used: Eoghan O'Connell, Patrick Kelly, David McGoldrick, Georgie Gent.

Player of the Match: Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)

Liverpool 4–1 Barnsley: How The Action Unfolded at Anfield

Supporters at Anfield were belting out the final verses of You'll Never Walk Alone when the plucky visitors almost grabbed an early opener. Davis Keillor-Dunn found space to shoot and tested his luck, but his effort crashed against the woodwork and Joe Gomez reacted well to clear the rebound and prevent disaster.

However, Liverpool composed themselves quickly and began shifting momentum in their direction. Dominik Szoboszlai chose to test his fortune from distance and unleashed a thunderous effort that flew beyond the reach of Murphy Cooper to put the home side ahead within 10 minutes.

While Barnsley remained dangerous on swift counter-attacks, Liverpool took complete command and it seemed only a matter of time before they extended their lead. Eventually, Jeremie Frimpong collected the ball wide, beat his opponent, cut into the box and unleashed a fierce left-footed shot that nestled in at the near post, doubling Liverpool's advantage.

Yet Barnsley responded almost immediately courtesy of a disastrous error from Szoboszlai. The Hungarian tracked back effectively to defend but then attempted a back-heel pass inside the box and completely missed the ball. The terrible mistake proved expensive, as he gifted the ball to Adam Phillips who tapped home before the interval.

Slot's team increased their tempo and aggression after the break, forcing Barnsley to regularly deploy 10 men inside their own box as they sought to regain their two-goal cushion. Virgil van Dijk almost scored a magnificent half-volley, but a brilliant stop from Cooper followed by the crossbar thwarted the Liverpool captain.

Florian Wirtz was the next Liverpool player to waste a golden chance. The German reached the end of a delightful cross from Szoboszlai, but he attempted an unusual first-time effort that sailed over the bar from close range.

Liverpool's relentless pressure somewhat subsided and they began flirting with a potential nightmare. Slot's men continued dominating possession, but Barnsley showed courage and looked to exploit counter-attacking opportunities, forcing crucial interventions from Van Dijk and Szoboszlai, who moved to right-back midway through the second period.

However, the anxiety inside Anfield was finally relieved by a magnificent combination between substitutes Hugo Ekitiké and Wirtz. The Frenchman executed a stylish back-heel pass into Wirtz's path and the German bent a perfect shot from the box's edge to net Liverpool's third in the 84th minute.

Wirtz then reciprocated the favor when he sprinted down the right flank and delivered a cross that Ekitiké simply converted, scoring a fourth for the Reds with the game's final touch.

Liverpool vs. Barnsley Half-Time Statistics

Liverpool vs. Barnsley Full Time Statistics