Arne Slot has questioned Liverpool’s “missing fighting spirit” after a 4-0 thrashing by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals, a result that piles pressure on the head coach ahead of a crucial Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool capitulated in a 21-minute spell at the Etihad Stadium, conceding four goals before half-time and early in the second half. Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick, including a penalty, a header and a hooked shot, while Antoine Semenyo added the other. City advanced to an eighth consecutive FA Cup semi-final.
“I missed the fighting spirit in the first 10 minutes after half-time,” said Slot. “In those 10-15 minutes, I missed the willingness to win duels, to be there first, to make it difficult for passes or crosses. That is something we have to do better on Wednesday.”
Dominik Szoboszlai echoed his manager’s sentiments. “The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough, the mentality wasn’t there enough. None of us were there as much as we could,” the midfielder said. Many of Liverpool’s 8,000 fans left early after Haaland’s fourth goal.
This was Liverpool’s 15th defeat of the season, the most since 2014-15. Slot admitted the team must react quickly, with only days to prepare for PSG. “We need to defend better,” he said. “The first 35 minutes were promising, but we must score from chances created.”
Mohamed Salah, playing his first game since announcing his departure, missed a penalty and three other opportunities. Slot declined to single out individuals but noted the team’s goal tally has been too low given the chances created.
