The Tykes players savour the moment on Merseyside with
the hoards of Barnsley fans after causing the shock of the
day.
Liverpool
1 - 2
Barnsley
Barnsley giant-killer Brian Howard celebrated the injury-time
goal that condemned Liverpool to an FA Cup fifth round humbling —
then claimed under-pressure manager Rafael Benitez had made a
calamitous error in resting Steven Gerrard until the final 15
minutes of yesterday's amazing upset at Anfield.
Now a shell-shocked Benitez has just two days to change the mood
in the Liverpool camp before Tuesday night's Champions League
showdown with Inter Milan.
Barnsley force the equaliser as Stephen Foster heads in
Martin Devaney's excellent cross in the 57th minute.
As Championship side Barnsley celebrated securing a place in the
quarter-finals with their 2-1 victory, Benitez knows that his
future at the Premier League club may depend upon his side's
ability to bounce back in Europe's biggest competition.
The taunts from Barnsley's match-winner last night rubbed salt
in Liverpool's wounds. Howard said: "Benitez didn't play his
strongest side against us. He was thinking about Inter Milan on
Tuesday and it backfired.
"They are out of the FA Cup now and well behind in the Premier
League, so they've got to produce in Europe."
A defiant Benitez defended his decision to leave Gerrard on the
bench and star striker Fernando Torres — recovering from injury —
in the stands.
Benitez said: "Torres wasn't fit and if you are playing at
Anfield against Barnsley and you need to think about one player,
well...last week people were talking about Xabi Alonso and he
played today."
Asked if the extraordinary defeat piled more pressure on him
personally, Benitez replied: "Pressure is always there. If you want
to win games, you must try to change small things. But it was
incredible how many chances we had, and if we get that many against
Inter Milan, we will score goals. But we must show more confidence
in front of goal."
Benitez insisted there had been nothing wrong with Liverpool's
performance until it came to scoring.
He explained: "I have told the players that the work rate wasn't
to blame. We cannot change this result now so we must approach the
next game and make sure we take our chances. This is frustrating
but their keeper was fantastic."
Liverpool are stunned in injury time as Brian Howard
thumps in the winner from 20 yards to give Barnsley victory at
Anfield.
Barnsley manager Simon Davey, a Liverpool supporter as a boy,
said: "To come to a club I supported as a youngster and do this is
just incredible — a dream."
Other FA Cup Results:
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