FA Cup: Plymouth stun Premier League leaders Liverpool to reach fifth round

Plymouth produced a huge FA Cup upset as Premier League leaders Liverpool were knocked out by the bottom club in the Sky Bet Championship.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot gambled with a weakened side in Devon and literally paid the penalty as Ryan Hardie’s second-half spot-kick gave Plymouth a famous 1-0 win and sent them into the fifth round of the competition.

It was only the fourth time that the team starting the day at the top of the Premier League has been eliminated from the FA Cup by a side from outside the top flight.

So Liverpool’s quadruple hopes are over and Slot’s team selection will be a hot topic of discussion in the coming days.

Plymouth have kept only two clean sheets in the Championship, but Ukrainian defender Maksym Talovyerov – who celebrated almost every clearance as though it was a goal – was a colossus at the heart of their defence.

Pilgrims boss Miron Muslic had hailed Liverpool as the “best team in the world”, but only goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher remained from the side that thrashed Tottenham on Thursday to book a Wembley date in the Carabao Cup.

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister were among those given the day off.

Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Luis Diaz ensured there was still plenty of firepower against opponents with the worst defensive record in the top four tiers of English football.

There was a carnival atmosphere at kick-off with Home Park sold out and huge green and white flags decorating the stadium.

Plymouth pushed for a dream start and Hardie saw his shot blocked by Joe Gomez inside the opening minute.

Gomez was captaining Liverpool on his first appearance since December 29 following a hamstring injury, but his afternoon was to end prematurely.

The England defender cut