Liverpool Player Ratings vs. Barnsley: Reds Fail to Shift Out of First Gear in FA Cup Clash Szoboszlai Earns 8, Gakpo Receives 7.5 | Liverpool Players Evaluated in Commanding Victory Against Barnsley

The Reds may not have showcased their best form, yet they still advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

While it wasn’t the dominant display that many anticipated, Liverpool managed to secure a 4–1 victory over League One team Barnsley in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday night.

Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool ahead early with a stunning long-range goal. Jeremie Frimpong extended the lead, but his effort was quickly countered by a glaring error from Szoboszlai, which Adam Phillips capitalized on for Barnsley before halftime.

Despite lacking flair, Arne Slot’s team maintained control after the break, and eventually, Florian Wirtz netted a brilliant goal that sealed Liverpool’s win at Anfield late in the game. Hugo Ekitike then scored in stoppage time, adding a final touch to a comfortable victory.

The scoreline might suggest otherwise, but the defending English champions did not deliver an imposing performance against their opponents. Nevertheless, the outcome is what counts, and the Reds progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they will meet Brighton & Hove Albion.

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili—6.6: Made several key saves to maintain Liverpool’s lead but was a bit inconsistent with his distribution. He was unable to rectify Dominik Szoboszlai’s error that led to Barnsley’s goal.

RB: Jeremie Frimpong—7.6: Excellent in attack, misplacing only one of the 37 passes he attempted and scoring a fantastic goal. However, he continues to be a defensive liability, with most of the visitors’ threatening plays occurring after they bypassed the Dutch defender.

CB: Joe Gomez—6.8: Appeared quite unsettled for much of the evening, particularly when pressured on the ball, leading to several risky passes that he was fortunate didn’t result in turnovers near the penalty area.

CB: Virgil van Dijk—7.6: Had a relatively uneventful evening, although Davis Keillor-Dunn managed to outplay him due to some loose marking. He showed improvement in the second half and took charge of the defense.

LB: Andrew Robertson—7.4: Robertson performed well defensively when called upon, but he was a bit careless with the ball, misplacing simple passes that hindered Liverpool’s ability to maintain control.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister—8.8: Outstanding in midfield, consistently evading Barnsley’s press with clever first-time passes and orchestrating most of Liverpool’s best sustained possessions. Securing two assists should enhance his confidence after a lackluster season thus far.

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai—9.2: Opened the scoring with a spectacular goal but then committed one of the season’s most glaring errors, allowing Barnsley to get back into the match. Despite the mistake, he was exceptional for the remainder of the game and was the standout player throughout.

RW: Federico Chiesa—6.5: A rather subdued performance from the Italian, who struggled to outmaneuver his marker and spent much of his time on the field passing backwards.

AM: Curtis Jones—8.0: The academy product played higher up the pitch and created several dangerous opportunities that other forwards failed to convert. Nevertheless, he remained active and was solid overall.

LW: Rio Ngumoha—7.3: Showed a strong desire to make an impact from the outset, repeatedly taking on his marker and often appearing threatening, though slightly lacking sharpness. A promising display from the teenager ended prematurely due to a fitness concern.

ST: Cody Gakpo—7.6: Struggled to make an impression against Barnsley’s defenders, who were well aware that Gakpo would consistently attempt to cut inside to his right. The strategy for success against the Dutchman became quite evident.

Substitute

Rating (Out of 10)

Ibrahima Konaté (60’ for Gomez)

6.6

Florian Wirtz (60’ for Frimpong)

8.2

Hugo Ekitike (60’ for Chiesa)

8.2

Ryan Gravenberch (73’ for Ngumoha)

Trey Niony (substituted in at 88 minutes for Mac Allister)

Not applicable

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