Virgil van Dijk has apologised to Liverpool FC supporters after admitting his side “gave up” during their heavy FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.
Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup following a 4-0 quarter-final loss at the Etihad Stadium, with the hosts scoring four goals in a devastating 18-minute spell spanning either side of half-time.
“I can only apologise to the fans for what we have shown, especially the second half,” said the 34-year-old Netherlands defender.
Van Dijk collapse proves decisive
After a relatively even opening half-hour, the game turned sharply when Van Dijk conceded a penalty shortly before the break. Erling Haaland converted from the spot to give City the lead.
Liverpool’s hopes of a comeback quickly faded after the interval, as City struck again twice in quick succession. Haaland went on to complete his hat-trick by the 57th minute, while Antoine Semenyo also found the net during the dominant spell.
“Obviously you come out with the right intentions from the dressing room [after half-time], to hopefully score for 2-1 as soon as possible to change the game,” Van Dijk said.
“The opposite happens and to come back from 3-0 is obviously very difficult here – but also you shouldn’t give up and that’s maybe, at a certain point, what happened.”
“We let everyone down”
The Liverpool captain did not shy away from criticism, acknowledging the team’s collective failure on the night.
“We let our fans down, we let ourselves down, and the manager,” he said.
“The way we played in the second half, especially, must hurt for everyone. It definitely hurts me.”
The defeat ends Liverpool’s FA Cup campaign and leaves their hopes of silverware this season resting solely on their involvement in the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool’s Pressure builds ahead of PSG clash
The result also increases scrutiny on manager Arne Slot, particularly with a crucial Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain looming.
Van Dijk, however, insisted responsibility lies with the players as much as the coaching staff.
“It’s a together thing, isn’t it? Obviously he’s responsible as the manager but we are the ones on the pitch that have to do it.”
Liverpool face PSG in Paris on Wednesday before hosting the return leg the following week, with a Premier League fixture against Fulham FC in between as they chase a top-four finish.
Call for immediate response
With the season entering a defining phase, Van Dijk urged his team-mates to respond quickly.
“If we want to make something out of this season, then we have to try and produce something special the next three games,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader campaign, he added: “We fall back into games where we get beaten on intensity or how much you really want to go for it. It’s a difficult one to take and everyone has to look at themselves.”
