Virgil van Dijk apologised to followers after admitting Liverpool gave up throughout their 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Man Metropolis.
Virgil van Dijk admitted that his Liverpool group gave up away at Man Metropolis (Picture: Getty)
Virgil van Dijk persistently steps ahead to face the music. Even following a match the place his personal show has fallen wanting expectations, he speaks candidly. As he acknowledges, he has been repeating the identical message – providing apologies for substandard Liverpool performances – far too continuously. Nonetheless, it appeared considerably completely different within the instant aftermath of the great FA Cup defeat to Manchester Metropolis.
The fact that the facet he captains carried out admirably for greater than half an hour earlier than collapsing made this reverse significantly agonising. He selects his phrases with care, which is why one comment rang like a warning sign. Discussing the start of the second half, which Liverpool began two targets behind, Van Dijk stated: “Clearly you come out of the dressing room with the fitting intentions to attain and make it 2-1 and alter the sport.
“However the reverse occurred after which to come back again from 3-0 is clearly very tough right here. But additionally you should not hand over, and that is possibly what occurred at a sure level.” The supporters undoubtedly gave up, departing in vital numbers properly earlier than the ultimate whistle.
The picture of Arne Slot applauding the handful who stayed within the 8,000-capacity part of the away supporters’ stand proved a revealing scene to witness. And Van Dijk fully grasped why the Liverpool trustworthy deserted their group.
He stated: “The followers have been there to help us and I can solely apologise to the followers for what we now have proven. We let ourselves down and the supervisor – however we let our followers down in the present day. Up till the penalty, possibly not, however the best way we performed, particularly within the second half, should harm for everybody. It undoubtedly hurts me.
“I have been there already many occasions this season after I’ve had hope after which we could not construct on performances. At present our second half, the depth we did not match, the challenges we did not win, it was robust. To then lose 4-0 is hard.”
The LIverpool away finish was nearly empty at full-time (Picture: Getty)
Liverpool’s marketing campaign, in fact, stays very a lot alive. In spite of everything, they stand simply 4 matches from a Champions League closing.
A mouth-watering quarter-final conflict with Paris Saint-Germain now beckons. But Van Dijk is acutely conscious that the beating by the hands of Metropolis is the worst attainable approach to put together.
He stated: “I’m attempting to suppose how we are able to flip it round however we now have been going by means of this for nearly 75 per cent of the season. We do properly however we won’t construct on sure issues and we fall again into video games the place we get beat on depth or beat on how a lot you actually need to go for it.
“It’s a tough one to take and everybody has to take a look at themselves. I’m talking for myself however it’s mentally robust in the intervening time to take this.”
But Van Dijk, Slot and Liverpool should now regroup forward of the primary leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie in Paris — and it’s plainly going to be no simple feat. Van Dijk continued: “It is mentally very robust in the intervening time, I have to say. Mentally, it has been a really robust season general.
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“The matter of truth is PSG is now ready for us. I watched them yesterday (Friday) a little bit bit and will probably be so robust once more.
“However we now have a duty, not solely to ourselves however particularly to the followers. If we need to make one thing out of this season, we now have to attempt to do one thing particular within the subsequent three video games.”
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