Key events
90+6 min: Katic is like a magnet to the ball. He’s heading away every cross that Liverpool are putting into the box.
90+4 min: Huge save from Hazard! The Plymouth keeper flings himself to his right to tip a Jota shot around the post. The Portuguese’s effort was heading into the top corner. Back come Liverpool but Kone-Doherty’s shot is blocked and Chiesa’s cross is awful. Plymouth clear!
90+2 min: Chance for Plymouth and Tijani! A hopeful ball is delivered to the back post, Tijani meets it with a diving header but the ball is blocked by Elliott’s backside. The Liverpool man didn’t know much about that but it was a crucial intervention.
90 min: Hazard is booked for timewasting at the restart. There will be nine minutes added on here! Nine!
89 min: Chance for Liverpool and McConnell! A mix-up between Katic and Hazard means the loose ball drops to the young Liverpool midfielder on the edge of Plymouth’s box. But with Hazard out of his goal and out of position, McConnell skews his finish wide! Katic and Hazard berate each other for their combined indecision but will both be relieved!
88 min: Plymouth have dropped into a low block now. Some of their players are on their last legs, Sorinola in particular is struggling with cramp.
86 min: Plymouth’s towering defenders Taloverov and Katic have been absolutely magnificent today. Sometimes there is is a beauty in just being able to head and kick a football. Liverpool swing another corner in but it is Katic that beats the Liverpool attackers.
84 min: Jota gets to the byline on the left and flashes a thrilling low cross across Plymouth’s six-yard box but Nunez is nowhere to be seen. The Uruguayan is not a natural poacher, part 478,726.
82 min: Liverpool are starting to apply pressure. After a short corner, Chiesa sends in two crosses: the first is abysmal, but the second is sublime, a curling, swirling thing to the back post, which just evades Quansah. The Reds are getting closer.
80 min: Ten minutes left for Liverpool to get a goal and take this to extra time. Otherwise, the Reds can say goodbye to their quadruple hopes.
“I know we have bigger fish to fry but this is still a poor team selection from Slot,” emails David Wood. “Got to respect the FA Cup and the opposition”.
78 min: From a Plymouth corner (in which Quansah made an excellent header at the front post), Liverpool break with Elliott releasing Jota down the right. The Portuguese is felled by Sorinola, who seems content to take a yellow card. From the resulting free-kick, Hazard claims easily. Liverpool really can’t get anything going, even from set pieces.
76 min: Liverpool make a change in midfield, but it’s not the one we expected. The booked Nyoni comes off but it’s 18-year-old Kone-Doherty who comes on. Time is ticking for Liverpool.
74 min: Brilliant block from Sorinola, as Liverpool spring into life. A hopeful cross comes in from the right through a crowd of bodies towards Diaz, who steals a march on Sorinola, but the Plymouth wing-back throws himself at the ball and makes a stupendous block to prevent Diaz’s shot from heading towards the corner.
Plymouth make two changes: Bundu and Randell off, Tijani and Boateng on. It’s worth highlighting that Plymouth-born Randell was in the Home Park stands the last time Liverpool came to Plymouth in 2017.
72 min: “No leadership on the pitch,” emails Jack Brimm. “No one on Liverpool is directing the game. It’s all aimless.”
“Usually, I think Arne Slot has pulled all the right levers and made all the right adjustments, but this squad selection was a huge gamble,” adds Joe Pearson. “Eleven guys that look like they’ve never played together. Too slow. Poor positioning. And there’s no one on the bench to fix it”.
70 min: Plymouth striker Bundu is booked for leaving a few stud marks in the top of Nyoni’s foot. Ouch.
68 min: Tsimikas has been woeful. With a few Liverpool teammates waiting in the box, the Greek’s cross would better be described as a clearance into the away fans. With Robertson getting on a bit, there will be a few Reds fans in that away end hoping for Milos Kerkez in the summer, I’m sure.
66 min: Pleguezuelo has not managed to run off that knock, and the Plymouth defender is replaced by the tattooed Palsson. I wonder if that will disrupt Argyle’s back-line, which as so far been immaculate.
63 min: Nyoni gives the ball away as he tries to find Elliott in midfield and I would be shocked if Curtis Jones does not soon replace the cautioned 17-year-old, who has undoubted talent but is not giving Liverpool the required control here.
“Well, this is embarrassing,” emails Patrick Crumlish. “Strength is depth not as good as has been touted.”
Plymouth hit the post!
61 min: Plymouth so close to doubling their lead! From a deep free-kick, Katic heads the ball back across Liverpool’s box. Hardie collects the ball, swivels and only a brilliant toe from Kelleher turns the ball onto his near post and behind! Liverpool are hanging on!
59 min: Liverpool make a change, Darwin Nunez is on for the unfortunate Mabaya, who only made his senior debut when he himself came on as a substitute earlier in this match. It’s not a great look for the right back, but he hasn’t played very well and is also on a booking. There will be brighter days ahead for the 20-year-old, one hopes.
Pleguezuelo is back on his feet. We’re underway again.
58 min: Pleguezuelo is hurt and receives some treatment. Both managers use the stoppage to give their players instructions – Slot looks unsurprisingly animated as four Liverpool players congregate around their boss.
57 min: Chiesa screws a shot horribly wide as Liverpool lurch forward for the first time this half.
55 min: You wouldn’t say that that goal was coming, but Liverpool have been so abject that they were always liable to be punished by one poor moment. And that moment has come to pass!
GOAL! Plymouth 1-0 Liverpool (Hardie pen 53)
Ryan Hardie steps up … and sends Kelleher the wrong way! Hardie goes left, Liverpool’s goalkeeper goes right and the Championship’s bottom side lead! Wow!
Penalty to Plymouth!
51 min: Harvey Elliott handles in Liverpool’s area! The away side argue, but his arms were above his head as Gyabi volleyed the ball into the Liverpool man.
50 min: Plymouth are on top! How long will Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones stay on Liverpool’s bench?!
48 min: Wright gets the better of Mabaya on the left wing, cuts inside, and only an excellent headed block from Endo prevents the ball from hurtling towards the top corner. Corner to Plymouth … but the delivery fails to beat the first man.
Peeeeeeeeeeeeep!
We’re off again at Home Park.
The teams are back out, both unchanged. Liverpool were hilariously bad in the first half. And if you’re after another Devon-based joke …
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Half-time reading:
Half-time: Plymouth 0-0 Liverpool
The best team in the land have been woeful!
45+3 min: The half is petering out without note.
“Not convinced by Chiesa,” emails Stephen Rimmer (from Rio de Janeiro). “Just seen that Kenny [Dalglish] is at the match. I’d bring him on down the right for second half”.
45+1 min: More frustration for Chiesa, who just fails to latch onto a promising pass from Nyoni. The Italian flashes a wry smile in annoyance.
45 min: Three minutes added on here. Plymouth are comfortable. For now.
44 min: Yellow card for young Mabaya, the Liverpool right back cautioned for kicking the ball away after conceding a throw in. Both he and Nyoni on bookings, now.
42 min: Chance for Plymouth! From a long throw, the ball breaks kindly to Gyabi in Liverpool’s box, but the 20-year-old leans back and the ball flies high and wide. A good chance, all things considered!
40 min: Plymouth manager Miron Muslic is a very handsome man but I fear he struggles from a rare problem: almost too much hair. Too much volume.
