Liverpool, England - A moment of brilliance quickly turned into a moment of bewilderment for Dominik Szoboszlai during Liverpool's FA Cup third-round match against Barnsley on Monday, as the midfielder's audacious backheel attempt sparked controversy and criticism. Despite Liverpool securing a 4-1 victory to advance to the fourth round, where they will face Brighton & Hove Albion, the Hungarian international's bizarre error became a major talking point.

Szoboszlai had initially put Liverpool ahead with a stunning long-range strike. Jeremie Frimpong then doubled the lead with another impressive goal. However, just before halftime, Szoboszlai attempted a backheel inside his own six-yard box instead of clearing the ball. The ill-advised flick went awry, gifting Barnsley's Adam Phillips an easy tap-in and halving the deficit.

Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane did not hold back his feelings about the incident. Speaking to TNT Sports, Hourihane stated he was "a little bit disappointed" with the goal his team scored due to the nature of Szoboszlai's error. He suggested that Szoboszlai would not attempt such a move "against Chelsea, against Arsenal or in a Champions League game". When asked if he felt it was disrespectful, Hourihane responded, "Yeah potentially...I don't think he does that in a Premier League game". He added, "It was a bit of a lack of respect".

Liverpool manager Arne Slot also weighed in on the incident, though his reaction was more measured. While acknowledging the mistake, Slot seemed perplexed by Hourihane's "disrespectful" claim. "What does he mean disrespectful?," Slot questioned. He made it clear that he believed Szoboszlai should not have attempted the backheel in any game, be it a "Premier League game, League Cup game, friendly game or a training session". Slot stated he would discuss the matter privately with Szoboszlai.

Szoboszlai himself apologized for the costly error. "Sorry to the team," he told TNT Sports. "I made it hard for us with an easy mistake. Football happens and we move on".

Despite the gaffe, Szoboszlai's overall performance was strong. He opened the scoring with a stunning goal and contributed in other aspects of the game. According to Opta, Szoboszlai became the first Premier League player this season to record a goal, over 100 passes completed, and over 10 ball recoveries in a single match. However, he was also involved in another controversial moment when he appeared to bring down Barnsley winger Reyes Cleary in the penalty area, which Hourihane felt should have been a "stonewall penalty".

Liverpool ultimately secured the victory, with late goals from Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike sealing their place in the next round. However, Szoboszlai's moment of madness provided a talking point and raised questions about decision-making even in a comfortable match.