Liverpool v Barnsley 02/16/2008

Liverpool 1-2 Barnsley

Barnsley sent Liverpool crashing out of the FA Cup thanks to Brian Howard's dramatic injury-time winner at Anfield.



Ryan Babel set up Dirk Kuyt to put the Reds ahead and only some super saves by Luke Steele kept Barnsley in the game.

Saturday's Highlights




The Tykes levelled when Stephen Foster headed home Martin Devaney's cross and although Liverpool poured forward they could not find a way past Steele.

Harry Kewell hit the bar for the home side before Howard's low shot into the bottom corner won it for Barnsley.

Liverpool had already been held by Luton Town of League One in the Cup this season and also had to come from behind twice against non-league Havant & Waterlooville in the previous round

But the way Rafa Benitez's men started this game did not suggest they would suffer any sort of shock result against Simon Davey's side, who are in the bottom half of the Championship.

The home side had all the early possession and Peter Crouch forced an early save out of Steele after Yossi Benayoun had teed him up in the area.

Steele, only signed on an emergency loan from West Brom on Valentine's Day because Barnsley's other keepers were injured or ineligible, was fast becoming a thorn in Liverpool's side on his debut.

He made two more stops in quick succession, saving acrobatically from Xabi Alonso and collecting Babel's low shot.

The former Manchester United goalkeeper was finally beaten on 32 minutes when Babel pulled the ball back for Kuyt, who took a touch before burying his shot into the back of the net.

Steele also did brilliantly to keep out a Crouch header on the stroke of half-time and Barnsley capitalised when they equalised out of nowhere after the interval.

Devaney produced the cross of his life from out wide on the right and Foster rose highest to nod the ball past the flailing figure of Charles Itandje, who could only help it into the net.

The Barnsley defence was soon back under pressure with Bobby Hassell and Foster clearing a Benayoun shot off the line before Howard's block kept out Crouch's follow-up.

And Liverpool threw everything at the visitors, forcing Steele into another stop from Benayoun before he tipped a Lucas header on to the bar.

There was drama at the other end too when Itandje somehow escaped without penalty after colliding with Kayode Odejayi as he chased down a long ball on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area.

But Liverpool were still looking like the only winners and the visitors were defending desperately when Kewell saw his rasping shot come back off the bar late on.

There was still time for one last Barnsley attack, however, and Howard made it count as he collected the ball on the edge of the area and fired into the bottom corner to clinch a famous victory.
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Team News

Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel (calf) is out and Sami Hyypia may play, while Fabio Aurelio and Alvaro Arbeloa are available after injury.

Fernando Torres (hamstring) is fit but is set to be rested ahead of the Champions League tie at Inter Milan.

Barnsley's emergency goalkeeper signing Luke Steele will go straight into the side to replace the injured Heinz Muller and ineligible Tony Warner.

Lewin Nyatanga and Jon Macken are both out as they are cup-tied.

Team From

Liverpool

Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Pennant, Mascherano, Gerrard, Babel, Benayoun, Kewell, Lucas, Torres, Crouch, Kuyt, San Jose, Itandje.

About the Match

The FA Cup provides Liverpool with their only realistic chance of a domestic honour this season.

Barnsley are aiming to pull off their biggest shock in the FA Cup since dismissing Manchester United at this fifth round stage in 1998, but the Tykes were a Premier League outfit at the time.

Liverpool are one of a mere six surviving Premier League clubs in the last 16, and could be one of four to fall to lower ranked opposition at this stage.

The League ladder

Liverpool are 29 places higher than Barnsley in the league standings.

Head to Head Details

All competitions

Not met since both were Premier League clubs in 1997-98. There was a share of the spoils with both league fixtures being won by the club playing away from home.

FA Cup

Liverpool have won all four previous ties against the south Yorkshire club, the most recent being 0-4 away in the quarter-finals in 1985.