Liverpool manager Arne Slot has expressed that he was “hurt” by his team’s surprising 1-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle, which saw them knocked out of the FA Cup.
However, Slot admitted that the Championship side “deserved” their victory after Ryan Hardie converted a penalty in the second half. The penalty came when Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott handled the ball inside the box.
Slot made 10 changes to his lineup following Liverpool’s Carabao Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the week, and his team failed to take control of the game.
“It was a great game from Plymouth,” Slot said in his post-match interview with ITV. “Good game plan. They deserve all the credit for their performance today. We were not having a very good day, and this result was the outcome.”
“I don’t think I can say the boys didn’t fight because the boys fought for 100 minutes. Both teams hardly created a chance, and then the game was decided by a penalty, which was awarded correctly because [Elliott] had his arms above his head.”
“In a game like this, when the two teams hardly have any chances, any openings, it’s up to one moment, and today that moment was for them. Like I said, they deserved it because they played a really good game.”
Slot rested several key players, including Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, and Mohamed Salah, who did not travel to Plymouth for the match.
Liverpool’s next fixture is against local rivals Everton, and a win would see them move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
