Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has become all too familiar with fronting up after losses - and his words after their FA Cup defeat by Manchester City told a clear story
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool looks dejected
Virgil van Dijk gave a honest take on where Liverpool are(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Virgil van Dijk never fails to front up. Even after a game where his own performance has not been up to standard, he tells it like it is. As he admits, he has been saying the same thing - apologising for below-par Liverpool efforts - too many times.
But it felt a bit different in the immediate wake of the emphatic FA Cup loss to Manchester City. The fact that the side he captains played very well for more than half an hour but then capitulated made this loss even more painful.
He chooses his words carefully, Virgil, which is why one comment sounded like an alarm bell. Talking about the start of the second half, which Liverpool began two goals to the worse, Van Dijk said: “Obviously you come out of the dressing room with the right intentions to score and make it 2-1 and change the game.
"But the opposite happened and then to come back from 3-0 is obviously very difficult here. But also you shouldn’t give up, and that’s maybe what happened at a certain point.”
Give up. The supporters certainly gave up, leaving in their droves long before the final whistle.
The sight of Arne Slot applauding the one or two who remained in the 8,000-seat section of the visiting supporters’ stand was a telling sight to behold. And Van Dijk fully understood why the Liverpool fans deserted their team.
He said: “The fans were there to support us and I can only apologise to the fans for what we have shown. We let ourselves down and the manager - but we let our fans down today.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 04: Arne Slot, head coach of Liverpool, acknowledges Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool after the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool on April 04, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk says the Liverpool players let manager Arne Slot down at the Etihad Stadium(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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“Up until the penalty, maybe not, but the way we played, especially in the second half, must hurt for everyone. It definitely hurts me.
"I’ve been there already many times this season when I’ve had hope and then we couldn’t build on performances. Today our second half, the intensity we didn’t match, the challenges we didn’t win, it was tough. To then lose 4-0 is tough.”
Liverpool’s season, of course, is still alive. After all, they are four games away from a Champions League final.
And a compelling last-eight showdown with Paris Saint-Germain awaits. But Van Dijk knows the hammering by City is the worst sort of preparation.
Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring a goal for Manchester City against Liverpool
Erling Haaland scored his 12th hat-trick for Manchester City in the FA Cup victory over Liverpool(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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He said: “I am trying to think how we can turn it around but we have been going through this for almost 75 per cent of the season. We do well but we can’t build on certain things and we fall back into games where we get beat on intensity or beat on how much you really want to go for it.
“It is a difficult one to take and everyone has to look at themselves. I am speaking for myself but it is mentally tough at the moment to take this.”
But Van Dijk, Slot and Liverpool have to regroup for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Paris. And it is clearly going to be hard to do.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 4: Liverpool Manager Arne Slot during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool on April 4, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Arne Slot has got to try and inspire his team ahead of the Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Van Dijk went on: “It’s mentally very tough at the moment, I must say. Mentally, it has been a very tough season overall.
“The matter of fact is PSG is now waiting for us. I watched them yesterday (Friday) a little bit and it will be so tough again.
“But we have a responsibility, not only to ourselves but especially to the fans. If we want to make something out of this season, we have to try and do something special in the next three games.”
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