Dominik Szoboszlai FA Cup 2026 brilliance and blunder as Liverpool beat Barnsley

Dominik Szoboszlai experienced a night of extremes as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches with victory over Barnsley in the FA Cup. The Hungarian midfielder scored a stunning long-range strike but also gifted the opposition a goal with a costly mistake that became the main talking point after the match.

Having sprinted to win possession ahead of Adam Phillips, Szoboszlai attempted a backheel to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili inside his own box. The misjudged pass left Phillips with a simple tap-in, prompting criticism from Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane, who labelled the decision disrespectful, and Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who described it as weird.

Despite the error, Szoboszlai’s overall performance was impressive. He became the first Premier League player this season to score, complete over 100 passes, and win possession more than 10 times in a single game. His influence helped Liverpool control proceedings, while substitutes Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike combined late on to secure a comfortable finish.

Barnsley felt aggrieved by a second-half penalty decision when Reyes Cleary went down under Szoboszlai’s challenge at 2-1. Hourihane insisted it was a stonewall penalty, while pundits Ally McCoist and Joleon Lescott debated the incident, with McCoist adamant it should have been awarded. Without VAR in place until the fifth round, the referee’s decision stood.

Liverpool’s dominance was clear throughout, with Jobi McAnuff noting the first half was almost too easy for the visitors. Wirtz’s cameo added further quality, producing a goal and an assist in just 30 minutes.

The win means Liverpool are now enjoying their best run since a 24-match unbeaten streak between September 2024 and January 2025. For Szoboszlai, the night was a reminder of football’s fine margins: a spectacular goal and a costly error, both defining moments in a match that ultimately ended in relief rather than regret.