Virgil van Dijk made the shocking admission that Liverpool “gave up” during their 4-0 loss to Man City, which Steven Gerrard criticised as a sign of “worrying times.”
It was a typical performance from Liverpool this season, with a positive start undone by a goal conceded, leading to an outright collapse.
But Van Dijk’s comments after the FA Cup quarter-final exit were alarming, with the captain telling reporters post-match: “You shouldn’t give up and that’s maybe, at a certain point, what happened.”
With Dominik Szoboszlai doubting Liverpool’s “fighting spirit” and Arne Slot agreeing to an extent, Gerrard joined the many fans left shocked.
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“They had their chances, which they never took. I think we all know in the big games you’ve got to take your chances when they come along,” he told talkSPORT on Tuesday.
“Take nothing away from City, they were outstanding over the course of the game, but it was really worrying and concerning the way Liverpool did crumble.
“Also even more alarming was what the players were saying after the game, saying ‘there was no fight’, ‘we gave the game up’.
“At Liverpool Football Club that can’t happen on the pitch and it certainly can’t be said off the pitch.
“Worrying times, worrying times I must say.”
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 4, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot and Manchester City's assistant manager Pepijn "Pep" Lijnders before the FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Those worrying times are reflected strongest on Slot himself, who has overseen a remarkable decline from a title-winning debut campaign and now faces growing calls for the sack.
Sunday saw thousands of Liverpool fans leave the Etihad with over half an hour left to play, and the media narrative is beginning to shift against the head coach.
With talkSPORT host Ally McCoist putting it to Gerrard that he felt a sadness in watching Liverpool – and in particular Mohamed Salah – fall off this season, the former captain looked ahead to a “huge week.”
“They’ve come so far away from the team identity they set in terms of standards for the past years,” Gerrard continued.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 4, 2026: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah reacts during the FA Cup Quarter Final match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“They’ve been so high collectively and Mo Salah‘s been at the forefront of that. To come so far away from that is very noticeable.
“Let me tell you right now, you’re not feeling as sad as me right now!
“But listen, I think they’ve got an opportunity this week to try and galvanise something from the season.
“I think so far – the players have admitted it, the manager’s admitted – it hasn’t been good enough.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 28, 2026: Liverpool's captain Steven Gerrard applauds the supporters after the LFC Foundation match between Liverpool FC Legends and Borussia Dortmund Legends at Anfield. The game ended 2-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“But they’ve still got a chance this week, and it’s a huge week on the back of a really poor performance against Manchester City.
“They’ve got to stand up and be counted, individually and collectively.
“They’ve got to stick together and they’ve got to try and grasp the opportunity and put pressure on the likes of Aston Villa and Man United from the Fulham game – which I think is arguably just as important as the two Champions League games.
Liverpool have won just 50% of their games since last facing PSG!
The Stats Gap: Liverpool vs. PSG
Record in all competitions since March 11, 2025
Statistic Liverpool PSG
Games Played 58 67
Wins 29 48
Draws 10 11
Losses 20 8
Win Percentage 50.0% 71.6%
* Data correct as of April 6, 2026.
“And they’ve just got to go and give it everything they’ve got against this PSG team and try and take the game to Anfield next week, use the crowd to try and galvanise something from the season.
“If the week goes the other way and they don’t do that, and they don’t try and galvanise something from the season, unfortunately pressure, the heat, the intensity is going to come even more on the players.
“And certainly on Arne Slot as well – which, from a fan’s point of view, I don’t want to see.”