Accrington Stanley’s Donald Love might have a hard time getting to sleep tonight.
The Manchester United academy graduate had his side’s best chance of a goal in their glamour FA Cup tie away at Liverpool, but failed with a point-blank header in the second half.
3
The score was 2-0 at the time thanks to Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s goals, but getting on the scoresheet would have been deserved for the visitors.
League Two Accrington exploited the hosts’ much changed side at Anfield but failed to get a decent shot on goal, and after Love’s missed header the Reds quickly ran away, making it a 4-0 full-time score through Federico Chiesa and Jayden Danns.
Found at the far post with a cross and Caoimhin Kelleher scrambling, the away end rose to their feet and the home side put their hands over their faces.
But Love nodded over, and former England and West Ham striker Dean Ashton revealed the brutal truth behind what the 30-year-old will be going through.
“He’ll never forget that, he won’t, it’s so brutal,” the talkSPORT pundit said.
“It was there and he just had to head it down and in and the goalkeeper probably wouldn’t save it from how close it was, but he put it over the bar.
“It could’ve been a moment you can watch back for years and tell your kids and grandkids about, that’s gone.
“Honestly, he’ll never ever forget it and he’ll never be allowed to by all of his mates because it was such a great chance.”
The moment came in the 65th minute when Accrington worked a short corner well and Love read Shaun Whalley’s perfect cross to the back post as Liverpool’s defence stood still.
It was a moment of class from the fourth tier side just as they started finding their groove and neutrals like Ashton would have loved to have seen it go in.
3
Explaining why, he said: “It would’ve been really interesting to see what the reaction would’ve been from the Liverpool players or Accrington players because they really had done themselves proud in showing a bit of fight in the second half.”
He added: “Massively [the scoreline does them a disservice] if this game ended 2-1 or 3-1 it would’ve been a fairer reflection on what they created and the way they played.
“Liverpool were pretty poor in large parts of the game and Accrington tried to take advantage the best they could.
“All it would have taken is the right pass, the right touch or the right header and these key moments, they have to be perfect in a game like this but they just weren’t and it wasn’t to be on a day like this.”
Love may be heading home slightly frustrated, but it was still an amazing day for the visitors, and particularly their Liverpool supporting defender Josh Woods.
The Scouser shared a nice moment with Reds coach Arne Slot in the tunnel post match, and also told ITV about his emotions.
“Honestly it was surreal, I was trying to tie up all my emotions and stay relaxed but the first half I was really nervous,” he said.
“I came out the second half a bit more relaxed and felt like we did well in the first 20 minutes, we kept it tight but with world class players on the counter it was hard to stop.”
Fellow Liverpool-born teammate Whalley added: “I don’t think we were ourselves in the first half but that was going to happen with the nerves and the emotion.”
Discussing Love’s chance, he said: “He should’ve scored! I wanted the assist.”
