Walk On: The Athletic FC's Liverpool show Cup progress made & how does Alonso sacking impact Slot?
Jan 13, 2026
James Pearce, Liverpool correspondent for The Athletic, and Andy Jones, a football writer with keen tactical insight, join to dissect Liverpool's recent 4-1 cup victory against Barnsley. They debate Dominik Szoboszlai's controversial backheel, explore the growing importance of the FA Cup under Arne Slot, and analyze Xabi Alonso's sacking at Real Madrid—pondering its implications for Slot's future. The duo also touches on Liverpool's youth setup, recent signings, and the implications of squad depth issues.
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Cup Scoreline Misleading
- Liverpool's 4-1 FA Cup win flattered the scoreline and mirrored season-long issues of possession without cutting edge.
- James Pearce warns the win hid periods where Barnsley played through Liverpool too easily.
Use Cup Runs Wisely
- Treat the FA Cup as a realistic route to silverware given league struggles; prioritize sensible squad choices.
- Andy Jones suggests strong lineups can be justified if they avoid injuries given a thin squad.
Dom's Costly Backheel
- Dominik Szoboszlai's backheel giveaway was labelled a 'brain fart' and compared to past goalkeeper errors.
- James Pearce notes Szoboszlai redeemed himself with strong overall play despite the mistake.