Liverpool’s troubled season took another turn for the worse when they were eliminated from the FA Cup after second-tier Reading triumphed 2-1 in their third-round replay on Wednesday.

The only trophy Liverpool can now realistically win is the Europa League, with Rafa Benitez’s side out of the Champions League and languishing in seventh in the Premier League.

Liverpool, who had drawn the first leg 1-1 at Reading, were thinking of a fourth-round fixture against Burnley as the replay entered the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.

Then Liverpool winger Yossi Benayoun fouled Shane Long in the penalty area, and Gylfi Sigurdsson scored from the spot to send the match into extra time.

Steven Gerrard’s deflected strike off Reading defender Ryan Bertrand put the Reds ahead in first-half stoppage time.

Striker Fernando Torres departed with a twisted knee inside the first 30 minutes and Gerrard failed to appear at the start of the second half, with the midfielder believed to have sustained a hamstring strain.

Liverpool struggled as an attacking threat without them and couldn’t recover after Long scored from six metres in the 100th minute to give Reading their first ever win at Anfield.

In Wednesday’s other third-round replay, Newcastle beat Plymouth 3-0 and will go to West Bromwich Albion on January 23.

Peter Lovenkrands’ hat-trick for the Magpies extended their unbeaten run to 13 games.

© AAP 2012

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