Adam Phillips Made Feelings Clear on Anfield Return Before FA Cup Goal Against Liverpool

In a thrilling Emirates FA Cup third-round clash at Anfield on January 12, 2026, Liverpool secured a 4-1 victory over League One side Barnsley, advancing to face Brighton in the fourth round. The match showcased stunning goals, a dramatic error, and a poignant moment for former Liverpool academy product Adam Phillips.[1][2]

Dominik Szoboszlai emerged as both hero and villain. Just eight minutes in, the Hungarian midfielder unleashed a thunderous 25-30 yard strike past Barnsley's Murphy Cooper, silencing the traveling fans and giving Liverpool a 1-0 lead. Jeremie Frimpong, starting at right-back due to Conor Bradley's season-ending injury, doubled the advantage before halftime with a fierce left-footed shot into the roof of the net after cutting inside.[1][2][3]

Barnsley fought back resiliently. Five minutes before the break, Szoboszlai's bizarre attempted backheel inside his own six-yard box—while tracking back—gifted the ball to Phillips, who tapped in the easiest goal of his career in front of the Kop end. A boyhood Liverpool fan and ex-Reds trainee, Phillips had expressed his excitement about returning to Anfield pre-match, making the moment especially emotional. "Sorry to the team," Szoboszlai later told TNT Sports. "I made it hard for us with an easy mistake."[1][2][3][4]

The second half saw Barnsley, managed by Conor Hourihane, push for an equalizer, nearly earning a penalty and forcing saves from Giorgi Mamardashvili. Liverpool coach Arne Slot introduced substitutes Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké, and Ibrahima Konaté after the hour mark. Wirtz curled home the crucial third in the 84th minute from Ekitiké's flick, restoring the two-goal cushion. Ekitiké then sealed it in stoppage time, tapping in a Wirtz cross.[1][2][3][4]

Slot admitted post-match the win felt "too tight" against a spirited Barnsley side 57 places below them in the pyramid. Hourihane praised his team's outstanding display despite fatigue.[3][5] Phillips' goal highlighted Barnsley's threat, turning a potential rout into an engrossing encounter.

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