Stand-in Southampton skipper Kyle Walker-Peters expects team-mates Lyanco and Duje Caleta-Car to be remorseful for the inexplicable errors which gifted League Two Grimsby an FA Cup upset at St Mary’s.
The Premier League’s bottom club suffered another major low in a miserable season as the Mariners progressed to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 win thanks to penalties from Gavan Holohan either side of half-time.
Lyanco conceded the first spot-kick, handling a Josh Emmanuel cross under no pressure having misjudged a header, before fellow defender Caleta-Car petulantly slapped Danilo Orsi in the back just after the restart to give Holohan a second chance from 12 yards.
An honest assessment from Kyle Walker-Peters:
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 1, 2023
Full-back Walker-Peters captained Saints on an embarrassing evening as regular skipper James Ward-Prowse started the fifth-round tie on the bench as part of nine changes made by manager Ruben Selles.
“I always felt we were going to score and that we were in control until we dropped off a bit, didn’t keep the pressure high and they went up the other end and we gave away a bit of a sloppy penalty,” Walker-Peters told his club’s website.
“I didn’t really see the second one (penalty incident) but if there’s VAR and they give it then there must have been something in it.
“It’s something that Lyanco and Duje will definitely be sorry about but they know those things can’t happen because we need to win every game possible.”
Referee Thomas Bramall did not need assistance from Stockley Park for the second decision and had little hesitation in pointing to the spot after Caleta-Car needlessly lashed out having already snuffed out the danger.
The Croatia international halved the deficit with 25 minutes to go following a corner from substitute Ward-Prowse but Southampton were unable to prevent a humiliating exit after Theo Walcott had a potential equaliser ruled out for offside on review.
England international Walker-Peters insists Saints must swiftly move on from the humbling episode in order to stave off relegation, starting with Saturday’s visit of Leicester.
UNBELIEVABLE SCENES ?@officialgtfc have made the #EmiratesFACup final 8️⃣! pic.twitter.com/59lypODYfx
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 1, 2023
“It’s always tough when you go 2-0 down to a lower-league team because they are going to defend everything with their lives and credit to Grimsby, they did that,” he said.
“We have to focus on the league now because we want to stay in it.
“Every game is vital, we need the three points and we’ve got to take any positives from this game and try and put it into the game on Saturday.
“No game in the Premier League is easy. I expect a tough game. We’ll be right up for it and hope to win.”
