Liverpool's Most Important Player is Clear After Barnsley Win, and It's Not Dominik Szoboszlai - Opinion

In Liverpool's gritty 4-1 FA Cup third-round victory over League One side Barnsley at Anfield, Dominik Szoboszlai grabbed headlines as both hero and villain, but the true standout—the team's most important player—was Alexis Mac Allister[3][4]. While Szoboszlai dazzled with a stunning 30-yard opener after eight minutes, silencing the away fans with a dipping strike, and later assisted chances, his calamitous backheel mistake just before halftime gifted Barnsley a goal through ex-Red Adam Phillips, making it 2-1[1][2][3]. He also narrowly escaped a penalty call early in the second half after tangling with Reyes Cleary[2][4].

Jeremie Frimpong doubled the lead in the 36th minute with a fierce left-footed shot after cutting in from the right, rewarding Liverpool's pressure[1][2][4]. Barnsley, admirably spirited despite the 57-place league gap, threatened on counters and pressed hard, forcing coach Arne Slot to introduce stars like Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké, and Ibrahima Konaté after the hour mark[1][2]. Wirtz curled in a beauty six minutes from time off an Ekitiké pass, and Ekitiké tapped home late for 4-1[1][2].

Player ratings highlighted Szoboszlai's mixed bag (7/10: brilliance and blunders, key clearances)[3][5], but Mac Allister shone as the steady midfield anchor. Described as "reliable yet not particularly flashy," the Argentine orchestrated play, feeding Szoboszlai's opener and maintaining control amid Barnsley's threats[3][4][6]. In a match Liverpool ground out—their 11th straight win without defeat since November's Champions League loss to PSG—Mac Allister's composure proved pivotal, enabling the big guns' impact and progression to face Brighton[1][2][4].

Barnsley exit proudly after a valiant showing, but for Arne Slot's Reds, Mac Allister emerges as the unsung hero whose presence ties the midfield together, far outweighing Szoboszlai's highs and lows[6]. This opinion underscores why consistency trumps flair in high-stakes progression.

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