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Beth Lindop
LIVERPOOL — Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane has criticised Dominik Szoboszlai for being «disrespectful» in Liverpool’s 4-1 victory over his side after the midfielder tried to backheel the ball inside his own penalty area.
Szoboszlai opened the scoring for the hosts at Anfield before Jeremie Frimpong doubled their advantage. However, Adam Phillips halved the deficit for Barnsley shortly before half-time after Szoboszlai’s miscued attempt to clear the ball just yards out from his own goal.
«It is such an amazing feeling for Adam scoring in front of the Kop,» Hourihane said. «Liverpool fan, coming through the academy; it’s something he can look back on for the rest of his life and say he did that. Not many people can say that.
«But it was a little bit disrespectful from their player, to be honest. I don’t think he does that against Chelsea or Arsenal or in a Champions League game. Delighted for Adam, but disrespectful from their player’s point of view.»
Liverpool boss Arne Slot also shared his frustrations in his postmatch news conference, admitting that Szoboszlai’s error contributed to a nervy second half at Anfield.
«I have my opinion about that which I’m definitely going to share with him,» Slot said. «It’s not the first time — and now I’m talking generally — that we are 2-0 up, there are no problems in the game and then we concede a sloppy or an easy goal. This one stands out — even for us!
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«It doesn’t help when you concede a goal when you’re 2-0 up. The other team is close to maybe accepting their loss, especially if you can keep going and have the ball so much. Usually teams are ‘we’re 2-0 down, we’ve hardly touched the ball’. They are usually not as aggressive in their defending and then you can score the third and the fourth.
But if you then give away an easy goal which we have done so many times this season, it’s a big different 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.»
The Reds have been drawn against Brighton for the fourth round of the FA Cup.
