Dominik Szoboszlai: Barnsley boss Conor Hourihane says midfielder lacked respect over goal mistake in FA Cup tie | Football News

Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane says Dominik Szoboszlai was “disrespectful” to his team after the Liverpool midfielder made a bizarre, freak error which got the League One side a goal.

Towards half-time of the 4-1 win for Liverpool, which took them to the FA Cup fourth round, Szoboszlai chased back to stop a Barnsley attack and then tried a flick just three yards out when under pressure.

That allowed Adam Phillips to score against his former club, after coming through the Liverpool academy, as Barnsley pulled a goal back to 2-1.

“I’m a little bit disappointed with their player if I’m honest,” said Hourihane in his press conference after the game. “I thought it was a bit disrespectful.

“I don’t think he does that against Chelsea, or Arsenal in a Champions League game. Unbelievable little feeling and buzz for Adam obviously, but a little bit of lack of respect from their player to be honest.”

Asked what he felt about Szoboszlai’s decision, Liverpool boss Arne Slot responded to Hourihane’s comments, saying: “I don’t think you should do that in a Premier League game, League Cup game, friendly game or a training session.

“It’s a weird choice and I also have my opinion about it but I prefer to keep that to myself and speak about it with Dom.”

Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Szoboszlai admitted he apologised to his team-mates for the error. “Sorry for the team again. I made it hard for us with an easy mistake I would say.

“But football moves on and we’ll take the next round.”

Slot later said in his press conference: “It’s not the first time – and I’m talking generally – that we’re 2-0 up, there’s no problems in the game, and then we concede a sloppy, or easy, goal. This one definitely stands out, even for us.

“Normally when you’re 2-0 up the other team is close to accepting their loss especially if you can keep going and have the ball so much, then usually teams are probably not as aggressive and then you can score the third and fourth.

“But if you give away an easy goal as we’ve done so many time this season then it’s a big difference in mindset for the other team.

“It’s definitely not helpful for us. Even tonight, we could see a lot of things being the same as we’ve seen so many times this season.

“It’s not the only frustration I have but definitely we make it difficult for ourselves in moments like this. Not only for ourselves, but again there were 60,000 fans tonight supporting us.

“I would have loved and the players would have loved to not give them 2-1 until the 83rd minute before it was 3-1. It did happen and that is something I’d love to see differently.”

Should Barnsley have also had a penalty?

Szoboszlai was also involved a big penalty shout in the second half when he nearly conceded a penalty to make it 2-2.

Barnsley winger Reyes Clearly, who impressed down the left wing all night, got across the Liverpool midfielder then went down under the Hungarian’s tackle.

Replays showed Szoboszlai did get a touch of the ball but there was also a hand on the back of the Barnsley winger. Referee Farai Hallam waved away the claims, with no VAR until the fifth round of the competition.

“I thought at the time it was a stonewall penalty,” said Hourihane. “Looking back now, seeing it after the game, the player does get a little touch on the ball.

“But at the same time, you can see he [Szoboszlai] has got into that panic mode, Reyes has got across him pulling his shirt a little bit.

“It was easily a decision that could have gone our way, a big moment in the game. 2-1 around the 65th minute, you never know what can happen after that. It was a big decision that didn’t go for us.”

Reacting to that incident, Slot felt it was not a penalty – especially as two big spot kick shouts did not go Liverpool’s way against Arsenal on Thursday night.

“There’s no VAR so when he gives it, if he had made a mistake, there was not the possibility to correct it,” said Slot. “From what I’ve been told, it wasn’t a penalty and Dominik played the ball, but I have to see it back to give you my opinion.

“On Thursday evening, I saw two things in Arsenal’s box that were more of a penalty than this one when I just looked at it by eye without seeing it on video.

“I can live with not getting one against Arsenal although this season we’ve conceded penalties even after VAR interventions that were less than the two incidents that happened at Arsenal. I can live with the outcome at Arsenal and today.”