Liverpool reached the FA Cup fourth round with a 4-1 victory over Barnsley at Anfield, yet the match focus quickly turned to Dominik Szoboszlai’s backheel error. Andy Robertson branded the mistake "unacceptable",
even though late goals from Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike eventually eased Liverpool through against the League One side.
The game had looked comfortable when Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong struck from distance to give Liverpool a 2-0 lead. Barnsley then pulled one back before half-time after Szoboszlai’s risky touch inside the six-yard box, which changed the mood among the home support and raised questions about Liverpool’s game management.
Robertson did not hide frustration with the way Liverpool allowed Barnsley back into the contest. The defender stressed that the incident reflected a wider trend this season, with Liverpool often letting opponents grow in belief even when holding strong positions, including recent meetings against Leeds United and Fulham.
Liverpool are now unbeaten in 11 matches across all competitions, with six wins and five draws. This run is their longest since a 24-game unbeaten stretch between September 2024 and January 2025. Despite that positive record, Robertson underlined that repeated lapses could prove damaging in bigger fixtures later in the campaign.
Robertson explained that Liverpool have swung between strong attacking play and tighter defending across different phases of the season. At the start, Liverpool created chances freely but left space at the back. More recently they looked more secure without the ball, but some critics suggested the attacking threat had dipped compared with earlier months.
"That's putting it nicely! The frustrating thing is, Dom does anunbelievable 60-yard sprint to start," Robertson said when asked whether Szoboszlai’s decision brought Barnsley back into the match. "He's getting the clap off the Kop, and I don't know if thatwent to his head.We can joke about it now, but it's unacceptable to lose a goal like that. Dom obviously knows that. He's been magnificent for us this season, and he was again really good. He just had a lapse of concentration, and we can't afford too many of them in the six-yard box. I don't think Gio [Mamardashvili] was too happy. He wants to keep a clean sheet, the defence wants to keep a clean sheet as well, so it wasn't great. "
The goal came after Szoboszlai initially recovered possession impressively inside Liverpool’s penalty area. Instead of clearing the ball, Szoboszlai tried a backheel across his own six-yard box. The loose touch fell straight to Adam Phillips, who finished past Giorgi Mamardashvili to make the score 2-1 and give Barnsley renewed hope.
That error meant Liverpool had to manage a tense spell after the interval with only a one-goal cushion. Robertson said the players felt the nerves on the pitch, even though Barnsley struggled to create clear openings. Wirtz and Ekitike eventually scored late on, but the defender stressed the need to avoid offering such encouragement to lower-ranked opponents.
One to remember for Adam Phillips! pic.twitter.com/LZDQvtenCFBarnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) January 12, 2026
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot confirmed that the staff would speak with Szoboszlai about the decision. Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane went further, describing the backheel attempt as disrespectful towards the visitors. Robertson aligned with Hourihane’s view, while also defending Szoboszlai’s wider contribution across the season.
"It gave them a way back in, and it was 2-1 for a long time. It made it a bit nervy, but we got there in the end. I think we all said something [to Szoboszlai] at the time, but he realised and apologised at half-time. If anyone's performances can't get criticised this season, it's Dom's. He's been 100% every game this season and has this lapse of concentration, which isn't great. We can't really afford that in the so-called bigger games. "
Robertson highlighted that Liverpool’s habit of letting teams back in stretches across the entire campaign. "That's the most frustrating thing. This season, we've let teams in far too many times, Robertson added. From the opening game of the season, we've done it, and we've been punished at times, in terms of losing or drawing games. At 2-0, we started looking in control, so for that to happen, then questions get asked. It's safe to say it was an individual error, but we then limited their chances, which is good. Then it was just about getting the third and fourth. We had quality off the bench, and they delivered. These games are about getting through. We've seen a couple ofPremier Leagueteams going out against lesser opposition, and thankfully, it wasn't us. We've done better over the last couple of weeks. We've looked a bit more secure defensively, which is pleasing, but now we need to put it all together because people are saying we're lacking an attacking threat. We need to now get both because, at the start of the season, we were really good going forward, but probably a little bit too open at the back. Now we've kind of reversed it. If you want to win trophies and go further in tournaments, you have to get the perfect balance, and that's what we're working towards. "
Robertson’s comments reflected a squad aware of both progress and lingering flaws as Liverpool chase trophies. The FA Cup win extended an encouraging unbeaten stretch, yet the backheel incident underlined how one decision can change a game’s rhythm, leaving Liverpool searching for a more reliable balance between control, defence and attack.
