Reflections on Liverpool’s FA Cup Exit

Sometimes in football, you get what you deserve, and that’s exactly what Liverpool will be feeling after going out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage. There’s been talk about how bad this Manchester United side are, and in truth, Jurgen Klopp will be raging about conceding four goals in this one and the nature of every single one. The quadruple dream is dead, and the Reds only have themselves to blame. It may be a good time for an international break in one way now, as there is plenty to reflect on and some wounds to lick. We look at the lessons learned from an extra-time defeat at Old Trafford and one where it’s going to sting for a long time.

Architects of Their Own Downfall

Sometimes you get beat and have to hold your hands up. Here, though, this was an awful United team to whom we gave poor goals and have no one to blame but ourselves. What was going through Cody Gakpo’s mind when we had that five-on-two break is anyone’s guess, yet the pass to Harvey Elliott wasn’t the answer. If that was bad, then Darwin Nunez’s square ball to a United player was even worse, as was the closing down of Rashford. Harvey Elliott then put the cherry on the cake from the corner and why he tried to bring it down there. You miss chances and make errors like that, and you get what you deserve.

Substitutions Didn’t Work

Someone will chirp up that Harvey Elliott scored a goal, but head about four sentences up, and there you go. Liverpool didn’t look exactly stable with Joe Gomez in either full-back position, but Conor Bradley struggled badly against Garnacho, and it’s natural to have a few questions about that last goal. Tsimikas didn’t have too much time but offered little, and it seemed to get worse with every change from Jurgen Klopp. It seems that everything that can be said about Cody Gakpo has been said on social media, and to be fair, including a cutting Jamie Carragher comment that’s done numbers. Crazy to think he scored two the other night.

Few With Credit

It almost seems somewhat hollow to say it, but there were a few who came out with credit in this one. Jarrell Quansah was absolutely superb for most of the game and how key he was in Alexis Mac Allister’s equalizer in the first half. He was also composed and happy to receive the ball under pressure, and there was one great moment of composure when he let it calmly bounce and shook off two United defenders. Mac Allister himself had a good game overall, and he won the most duels for us and created the most chances for us, including another goal. Diaz played well and ran himself into the ground too. Ultimately it counts for nothing, though.