Miron Muslic’s Plymouth Argyle hit the FA Cup jackpot as the miserly Slot machine was finally forced to pay out at a packed Home Park.

Liverpool arrived in deepest Devon as not only English football’s leading lights this season, but also that of Europe following an impressive qualification in the lucrative Champions League.

Add in the fact that they have already booked one trip to Wembley - they will face Newcastle United in next month’s Carabao Cup final - and you see why everyone has been waxing lyrical about the Mighty Reds.

There will, however, be no visit to ‘Anfield South’ in the FA Cup for the star-studded Merseysiders. Argyle striker Ryan Hardie put pay to that, his second half penalty ensuring the biggest of shocks so far this season.

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It was, though, no more than Argyle deserved for not only a spirited, but a thunderous and tenacious display, in which they ruled the roost for much of the afternoon.

With a raucous, sell-out crowd behind them, Argyle certainly started brightly against their illustrious rivals. Striker Ryan Hardie was first to threaten, latching onto a pass from Callum Wright only to his intended shot blocked by Jarrell Quansah.

At the other end, Trey Nyoni offered Liverpool’s first real opportunity, letting fly with a speculative effort, but it was no more than a half chance in what was a frantic opening to the contest from both sides.

The loss of skipper Joe Gomez meant the visitors were forced into a reshuffle early in the game, but it was Argyle who continued to offer the greater threat as the half ticked by.

Indeed, the Green Army were up appealing for a penalty just past the half-hour mark when Mustapha Bundu went down under pressure from Kostas Tsimikas. Referee Sam Barrott was having none of it, waving away from the appeals in an instance.

Moments later, Liverpool themselves threatened when midfielder James McConnell forced Connor Hazard to dive low to his left to keep out his effort from the edge of the box.

For all the star appeal of the Reds, however, they looked disjointed as their plethora of big names struggled to contain the feverish Pilgrims, who certainly look a much different outfit under the guidance of Muslic.

On the resumption, Argyle were again quick to show their promise, Bundu’s flick releasing Callum Wright who, having cut back inside, unleashed a fierce shot that Wataru Endo did well to block.

It was a shot of warning for the Reds, but they failed to heed the danger as Argyle stunned them with the opening goal, Hardie dispatching a penalty low into the left corner after Harvey Elliot was adjudged to have handled in the box.

Home Park erupted into a wall of noise, sparking scenes of delirium in all four stands and a rousing rendition of the Cranberries hit ‘Zombie’ - in which the lyrics talk about ‘getting in your head’.

Well, the Pilgrims were certainly in the heads of Slot’s side, who tried to hit back immediately through Chiesa, but the Italian international dragged his shot from the edge of the box wide of the far post.

The visitors sent on Uruguayan international Darwin Nunez as part of the rescue mission, but it was the other No.9 on the field, goalscorer Hardie, who came within a whisker of doubling his side’s lead, cannoning a shot back off the post at the Devonport End.

Muslic added his own fresh muscle to combat the threat for the final quarter as the Reds looked to crank up the gears. It was a clever tactic from the Argyle head coach, who was getting more animated by the minute on the touchline.

Liverpool’s pressure was mounting by the minute, but still they could find no way of hitting the target. Nunez speared a shot wide, McConnell flashed a golden chance wide, before Jota and Nunez brought brought the best out of Hazard in added on time.

Every missed opportunity was celebrated like a goal by the locals who, after a season of seemingly endless lows, now reached the dizziest of heights.

ARGYLE: Conor Hazard; Maksym Talovierov, Nikola Katic, Julio Pleguezuelo (Victor Palsson 67 mins); Matty Sorinola, Adam Randell (Malachi Boateng 72 mins), Darko Gyabi, Tymoteusz Puchacz; Mustapha Bundu (Muhamed Tijani 72 mins), Callum Wright; Ryan Hardie (Michael Obafemi 81 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Dan Grimshaw, Bali Mumba, Jordan Houghton, Rami Al Hajj, Michael Baidoo.

LIVERPOOL: Caoimhin Kelleher; Joe Gomez (Isaac Mabaya 10 mins, Darwin Nunez 58 mins)), Wataru Endo, Jarell Quansah, Kosta Tsimikas; Treymaurice Nyoni (Trent Kone-Doherty 76 mins) James McConnell; Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott, Luis Diaz; Diogo Jota.

Substitutes (not used): Vitezslav Jaros, Curtis Jones, Amara Nallo, Rio Ngumoha, James Norris, Ranel Young.

Referee: Sam Barrott