Van Dijk Claims Liverpool ‘gave Up’ In Manchester City Defeat As Psg Trip Looms

Virgil van Dijk believes Liverpool “gave up” during their FA Cup conclusion astatine Manchester City and has apologised to fans for nan woeful capacity that heightens nan unit connected Arne Slot.

A dejected Liverpool skipper was unsparing successful his appraisal of nan heaviest conclusion of Slot’s reign and claimed it will beryllium difficult for nan squad to retrieve for Wednesday’s Champions League 4th last first limb against Paris Saint-Germain.

The admittance that Liverpool efficaciously threw successful nan towel astatine nan Etihad, wherever they conceded 4 goals successful 18 minutes either broadside of nan break, reflects severely connected Slot successful his attempts to salvage nan Reds’ campaign. The Premier League champions person now mislaid 15 games successful each competitions this season, excluding nan Community Shield.

“It’s connected us,” Van Dijk said. “The fans were location to support america and I tin only apologise to nan fans for what we person shown, particularly nan 2nd half. It’s difficult. Mentally it has been a very reliable play overall.

“You travel retired of nan dressing room pinch nan correct intentions to people and make it 2-1 and alteration nan game, but nan other happened and past to travel backmost from 3-0 is evidently very difficult here. But besides you shouldn’t springiness up, and that’s possibly what happened astatine a definite point. Our 2nd half, nan strength we didn’t match, nan challenges we didn’t win, it was tough. To suffer past 4-0 is tough.”

Van Dijk conceded nan punishment that turned nan FA Cup quarter-final successful nan 37th infinitesimal – nan 4th spot-kick he has personally conceded this play having fixed distant 4 successful his erstwhile 319 appearances for Liverpool – and admitted nan squad fto down Slot and nan supporters pinch their consequent collapse.

Virgil van Dijk fouls Nico O'Reilly (centre) to gift Manchester City a first-half penalty. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images

On Slot, he added: “It’s a together thing, isn’t it? Obviously he’s responsible arsenic nan head but we are nan ones connected nan transportation that person to do it. I’ve been repeating myself excessively galore times. We fto our fans down. We fto ourselves down and nan manager, but we fto our fans down. Up until nan penalty, possibly not, but nan measurement we played, particularly successful nan 2nd half, that must wounded for everyone. It decidedly hurts me. So nan attraction is now connected Paris away, but it’s tough. It will beryllium a reliable Sunday to digest it.”

Van Dijk was excessively despondent pursuing nan FA Cup conclusion to rumor a defiant connection for nan travel to Paris. He said it would be: “very difficult, very difficult” for Liverpool to assistance themselves astatine Parc des Princes. “But we person a responsibility, not only to ourselves but particularly to nan fans and, if we want to make thing retired of this season, we person to effort and do thing typical successful nan adjacent 3 games.”

In different worrying motion for Slot, Van Dijk claimed nan togetherness that has been nan hallmark of his clip astatine Liverpool is presently lacking successful a squad that was overhauled past summer.

“Their value is there,” nan Liverpool skipper insisted. “I’ve been fortunate capable to play for Liverpool for truthful galore years and nan main point ever was nan togetherness. Now, obviously, we are successful a small spot of a modulation truthful we person to find it. It’s still difficult to past execute each 3 days if we don’t person it consistently, if you cognize what I mean? The togetherness connected nan transportation to show it for 90-plus minutes each 3 aliases 4 days, that is difficult.”