"Amid a challenging domestic season in which defending the Premier League title is all but impossible at this point, Liverpool seem to have turned their attention to the FA Cup and Champions League, with Arne Slot fielding a strong side against League One club Barnsley on Monday. It wasn't pretty at times, and failing to keep a clean sheet was disappointing, but a 4-1 victory is likely right in line with what the Reds were expected to achieve."
"Giorgi Mamardashvili: 7.5/10- He was surprisingly called into action for a pair of solid saves in the first half, as Barnsley actually outpaced Liverpool in shots on target by a 3-2 margin over the opening 45 minutes. He was not required to make another stop after halftime and deserved a clean sheet, having been clearly blameless for the goal Liverpool conceded."
"Virgil van Dijk: 7.5/10- Never looked troubled in defensive situations and completed the second-most passes on the team with 100. He also came close to scoring twice in the second half-a rock-solid performance from the captain. Joe Gomez: 6/10- Barnsley's attack was lively on the evening, and Gomez by far looked the weaker of Liverpool's two center-backs, particularly when he was badly beaten by Reyes Cleary, resulting in a yellow card challenge."
With the Premier League title defense effectively out of reach, Liverpool shifted focus to the FA Cup and Champions League, fielding a strong side against League One Barnsley and winning 4-1. The win sets up a next-round tie with Brighton. The match was uneven; Barnsley outpaced Liverpool for shots on target early and Liverpool failed to keep a clean sheet despite a convincing scoreline. Giorgi Mamardashvili produced important first-half saves and was blameless for the conceded goal. Virgil van Dijk was composed, completed 100 passes and nearly scored twice. Joe Gomez struggled as a centre-back, while Andy Robertson delivered a solid defensive showing.
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