Liverpool make hard work of 4-1 win over Barnsley after Szoboszlai mistake

LIVERPOOL, England, Jan 12 : Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunner and gave away a howler as Liverpool beat third-tier Barnsley 4-1 on Monday to set up a home FA Cup fourth round clash with Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Hungarian opened Liverpool's account with a long-range screamer in the ninth minute after Barnsley's Davis Keillor-Dunn had bounced a header off the home upright inside the first 30 seconds.

Right back Jeremie Frimpong, on his FA Cup debut, unleashed a tremendous left-footed effort in the 36th to put Liverpool 2-0 up at a chilly Anfield.

Szoboszlai then veered from the sublime to the ridiculous in a moment of jaw-dropping carelessness that handed Barnsley a lifeline in the 40th minute.

Seemingly attempting to backheel to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, the Hungarian instead left the ball perfectly teed up for Barnsley's Adam Phillips, who spent eight years in Liverpool's academy, to lash home at the Kop End.

STRONG STARTING LINEUP

Liverpool made it 3-1 in the 84th when second-half substitute Florian Wirtz made amends for a glaring earlier miss by curling a shot into the top right corner to put the outcome beyond doubt.

Hugo Ekitike, also coming off the bench, added the icing on the cake with the fourth assisted by Wirtz in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

The hosts, who suffered a shock fourth round defeat last year to second-tier Plymouth Argyle, showed they were taking the game seriously by fielding a stronger than expected starting lineup.

Manager Arne Slot made six changes in his starting lineup to the side that drew 0-0 at Premier League leaders Arsenal last Thursday.

Barnsley still made it hard for them, fighting for every ball and fuming at being denied a penalty in the 61st minute when