Liverpool's hopes of winning a historic quadruple were ended by a shock defeat to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon. Just days after the Reds had reached the Carabao Cup final, their FA Cup journey was ended after Ryan Hardie’s second-half spot-kick secured the Championship side a famous 1-0 win.

Heading into the game at Home Park, talk began to emerge about just how many trophies Arne Slot’s side are capable of winning this season. The Reds currently find themselves at the top of the Premier League table and finished top of the Champions League group phase standings.

In terms of the League Cup, a Wembley showdown with Newcastle United awaits next month, with the Reds looking to retain the trophy they won against Chelsea last year. But if Liverpool supporters were hoping for a second and possible third visit to the home of English football, then they will now be disappointed.

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By the time the full-time whistle blew on the South Coast, Liverpool’s quadruple hopes were over, and Slot’s team selection was the hot topic of discussion. Virgil van Dijk had already dismissed all talk of an unprecedented quadruple.

Winning one major trophy in any given season is a notable achievement, not to mention two or three. And former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes no English team will ever write their name into the history books by winning the quadruple.

Speaking back in 2025, the Scot, who won the treble in 1999, insisted a four-way triumph at home and abroad is impossible. He said: "No chance of a quadruple.

"You need a lot of luck. When we won the treble in 1999, we had only one player missing from the European Cup final with injury, and that was Henning Berg.

“Everyone else remained fit in that run-in. Any changes we made were because we wanted to make the change. You need a hell of a good squad.

“You need them all, but particularly your main players. The treble is more feasible but still very difficult to think it could be done again."

Ferguson’s words were echoed by Pep Guardiola, who, speaking five years ago, was keen to point out that if the Scot was unable to win four trophies in one season, then nobody in football would be capable of achieving the feat.

"Why should you [talk about] the quadruple when in this country - a legendary country - it has never happened before,” the Catalan said.

“Legendary teams like Liverpool, the period with Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Chelsea, Arsene Wenger with Arsenal - no-one did it. So why should we do it?

"We can't forget that even the team that won the treble with Sir Alex Ferguson - an incredible team in 98-99 - won the league with 79 points. In the semi final of the FA Cup, they had 10 v 11 and Ryan Giggs ran past five or six and in the final of the Champions League at Camp Nou and everything there.

"So to win the treble is so tough. One point difference in the league, that semi final of the FA Cup against Arsenal, Bergkamp missed a penalty, red card for Roy Keane and the chances Bayern had - hitting the crossbar two times - and then with the last two corners United scored.

"The spirit, the desire to win the treble and of course the quality of everybody at United means they did it, but it shows how difficult it is the way they won it, and that has only happened once in all our lives."

But despite the disappointing setback at Home Park, excitement is building at Anfield, and already supporters are dreaming about the Premier League title and Champions League trophy returning to Merseyside this summer.