Dominik Szoboszlai wasn't disrespectful with kamikaze mistake - Liverpool need to do two things more
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Dominik Szoboszlai Wasn't Disrespectful with Kamikaze Mistake - Liverpool Need to Do Two Things More
In Liverpool's 4-1 FA Cup third-round victory over Barnsley at Anfield, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai starred as both hero and villain, but his infamous backheel error was no act of disrespect—rather a kamikaze moment of overconfidence that nearly cost the Reds dear[1][2][3].
Szoboszlai opened the scoring with a spectacular 35-yard strike in the 9th minute, followed by Jeremie Frimpong's goal to make it 2-0. But just before half-time, with Barnsley pressing, the Hungarian chased back into his own penalty area and inexplicably attempted a flashy backheel pass to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili instead of clearing safely. The ball broke loose, allowing ex-Liverpool academy product Adam Phillips to score in front of the Kop, halving the deficit to 2-1[1][2][3][4].
Barnsley boss Conor Hourihane called it "a little bit disrespectful," suggesting Szoboszlai wouldn't try such flair against elite sides like Chelsea or Arsenal. He praised Phillips' milestone goal but implied the error undervalued his League One team[1][2][3].
Liverpool manager Arne Slot was privately furious, labeling it a "sloppy, easy goal"—a recurring issue this season when leading comfortably. "I have my opinion... I'm definitely going to share with him," Slot said, noting it shifted Barnsley's mindset and created unnecessary tension[2][4][5].
Liverpool steadied with late strikes from £116m summer signing Florian Wirtz (84th minute) and £79m Hugo Ekitike in added time, advancing to face Brighton in the fourth round[1][2]. Hourihane rued a missed penalty shout on Szoboszlai but admitted fatigue led to the late collapse[3].
The piece argues Szoboszlai's flub was no disrespect—just poor judgment under pressure. Liverpool must do two things more: drill basic defending when ahead and curb flashy risks in casual ties to avoid self-inflicted scares[1][2][5].
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