Slot Rues Liverpool’s ‘missing Fighting Spirit’ After Embarrassing Fa Cup Exit

Arne Slot slammed Liverpool’s “missing fighting spirit” aft nan 4-0 humiliation by Manchester City that propelled Pep Guardiola’s squad into nan FA Cup semi-finals.

The mode of the 4-0 reverse will heighten scrutiny of nan manager’s future, pinch Liverpool adjacent astatine Paris Saint-Germain for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg. A akin conclusion successful nan necktie whitethorn beryllium terminal for Slot.

After a promising commencement astatine nan Etihad Stadium, nan visitors capitulated by conceding 4 goals successful a 21-minute period. Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick, via a 39th-minute penalty, a header successful first-half wounded clip and a hooked changeable aft 57 minutes. Antoine Semenyo scored City’s different extremity arsenic they reached an 8 consecutive Cup semi-final.

A shell-shocked Slot said: “I missed nan fighting tone successful nan first 10 minutes aft half-time. And past afterwards, it was conscionable a crippled wherever some teams accepted it was 4-0. But successful those 10-15 minutes of time, I missed nan fighting tone – nan willingness to triumph your duel, to beryllium location first, to make it difficult for either a walk aliases a transverse aliases a finish. That is thing we decidedly person to do amended connected Wednesday.”

Dominik Szoboszlai backed his manager’s grim verdict. “The fighting tone wasn’t location enough, nan mentality wasn’t location enough,” said nan Liverpool midfielder. “None of america were location arsenic overmuch arsenic we could. That’s a bully mobility – why. I don’t know. It’s difficult to find words to beryllium honest.”

Many of Liverpool’s 8,000 fans near nan crushed aft Haaland scored City’s fourth. “We don’t want them to time off early. We person to execute better,” said Slot. “That’s nan first thing. We person to show now that we respond aft a nonaccomplishment for illustration this and aft truthful galore disappointments we already had this season.”

Mohamed Salah reacts aft his punishment was saved by Manchester City keeper James Trafford. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

This was Liverpool’s 15th conclusion of nan campaign, nan astir since 2014-15. Slot was asked really he tin move shape astir earlier facing PSG. “There are only 3 aliases 4 days, truthful location are a fewer things you tin do, and 1 of nan things we request to do if we play against PSG aliases Man City, teams of this level, you request to take sides amended than we did successful nan 20 minutes erstwhile we conceded nan 4 goals,” he said.

“No 1 will astir apt retrieve it, but nan first 35 minutes location was a batch to for illustration from my team. It would beryllium bully if we past tin people a extremity erstwhile successful a while arsenic good from nan chances we create.”

Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitiké missed 2 early chances and Mohamed Salah, successful his first crippled since announcing his departure astatine nan extremity of nan season, missed four, including a punishment erstwhile City were 4-0 ahead.

Of Salah, Slot said: “I wouldn’t for illustration to constituent to individuals aft nan disappointing play we are having. It is astir nan team. Mo had a fewer bully chances. That is ever important arsenic you want players for illustration that to person chances.

“In wide this play we person sewage him and different players successful bully positions. Unfortunately if you look not only coming but nan full play nan magnitude of goals we people is acold excessively debased for nan chances we created and decidedly for nan Liverpool standard.”

Pep Ljinders, City’s adjunct manager, said: “Erling scored nan 12th hat-trick for Man City and nan 2nd was insane. The measurement he puts nan shot into nan corner. I emotion erstwhile these old-school striker goals. Cross, wait, commit, chip. I emotion it.”