Arne Slot has responded to criticism from Barnsley boss Conor Hourihane after Dominik Szoboszlai’s failed backheel led to a goal for the visitors in Liverpool’s FA Cup clash.
Liverpool had raced into a 2–0 lead against their League One opponents through goals from Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong. However, Barnsley were handed a lifeline when Szoboszlai attempted a risky flick near his own goal, completely missing the ball and allowing Adam Phillips to score from close range, leaving Giorgi Mamardashvili helpless.
The mistake ultimately proved harmless, as Liverpool maintained their advantage before substitutes Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike struck late to seal a 4–1 victory. The win sets up a fourth-round tie against Brighton, although Slot’s side will need to deliver a stronger performance against the Seagulls.
After the match, Szoboszlai held his hands up for the error, apologising to his teammates. Speaking to TNT Sports, he admitted he had made life harder for the team with a simple mistake but stressed that the focus now shifts to the next round and the importance of the full squad.
Hourihane, however, took issue with the Hungarian midfielder’s decision to attempt such a skill. The Barnsley manager said he was disappointed by the nature of the goal and suggested Szoboszlai would not have tried the same move in a Premier League or Champions League match, hinting that it could be seen as disrespectful.
Those comments were later put to Slot, who initially appeared puzzled but ultimately agreed that the decision was unnecessary in any match situation. While acknowledging he had his own view on the incident, the Liverpool head coach said he would keep those thoughts private and address them directly with Szoboszlai.
Slot also admitted there were clear areas for improvement, noting that Barnsley caused Liverpool problems and that the game remained uncomfortably close for too long. He added that conceding the goal made things more difficult and that another poor moment could easily have allowed Barnsley back into the contest
