Liverpool may have been knocked out of the FA Cup at the hands of Plymouth, but it is hard to overlook the wholesome reaction from their players after their dreams came true.
The fourth-round tie is not going to be remembered as a classic for the performance on the pitch, but it is a result that will forever be etched in Plymouth’s history – irrespective of who was missing for Liverpool.
The hosts took their chance after the referee pointed to the penalty spot, with Ryan Hardie converting before a stubborn defence protected their lead until the final whistle.
It is not a day that Reds will fondly remember, but it is a different story entirely for Plymouth’s players after becoming only the fourth team to beat Liverpool this season.
For goalscorer Hardie, he also took a souvenir from the match having secured the shirt of fellow No. 9 Darwin Nunez – which he looked very pleased with.
Speaking after the match, he said: “It’s going to be one that will go on my wall, one of the greatest shirts that I’ve got. Obviously, he’s a fantastic player and to get the No. 9 shirt is a good swap for me.”
Twenty-four-year-old Callum Wright, meanwhile, was able to secure Luis Diaz‘s shirt with the boyhood Red saying “dreams really do come true” after playing the full 90.
Wright grew up supporting the Reds and was even a mascot for Fernando Torres at Anfield as a child – no wonder he described the occasion as “insane.”
Dreams really do come true ??? pic.twitter.com/uD8uakSY4e
— Callum Wright (@calllum10wright) February 10, 2025
“It’s insane. It’s a dream come true to play them and to beat them, I’ll remember it forever,” he told ITV post-match.
Sitting at the bottom of the Championship table, Plymouth have not had much reason to celebrate this season and manager Miron Muslic’s dressing room talk emphasised the history they had just made:
“We left a new chapter in Argyle history” ?? pic.twitter.com/VlnwORn3zy
— Plymouth Argyle FC (@Argyle) February 9, 2025
Unforgettable day??? pic.twitter.com/1K6b5gsyfR
— Julio Pleguezuelo (@JPleguezuelo) February 10, 2025
Boys were incredible!!!! What a day ?? @Argyle pic.twitter.com/lztMmcM6sv
— Joe Edwards (@Joeedwards10) February 9, 2025
The celebrations were certainly wholesome and never felt as though they had crossed the line, as at the end of the day this was a free hit for them and they seized their moment.
Fair play to them!
For Liverpool, the focus now zeroes in on the all-important Merseyside derby on Wednesday night where a win would make this cup match a distant memory.
