Red mist ‘That can’t happen’ – Steven Gerrard tears into ‘worrying’ Virgil van Dijk comments after Liverpool collapse at Man City
LIVERPOOL icon Steven Gerrard has hit back at Virgil Van Dijk’s admission the Reds “gave up” during their FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.
Arne Slot‘s men were thumped 4-0 in the quarter-final clash with Erling Haaland bagging a hat-trick.
Virgil Van Dijk was honest about Liverpool’s performance against Manchester CityCredit: Getty
Steven Gerrard is worried if the club are going to start giving up in gamesCredit: Getty
Liverpool had started well and actually had more shots than City on the day, but they couldn’t live with Pep Guardiola‘s men in attack.
Skipper Van Dijk – who held an emergency meeting with his team-mates after the loss – did concede that when the game started to get away from the Reds, perhaps the team gave up.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Gerrard explained why Van Dijk’s assessment after the game is “worrying”.
He said: “They had their chances which they never took, we all know that you have to take their chances in the big games. City were outstanding but it was worrying and concerning the way Liverpool did crumble.
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“But it’s even more alarming what the players are saying after the game, saying there’s no fight, gave the game up, at Liverpool Football Club, that can’t happen on the pitch and can’t be said off it. Worrying, worrying times I must say.”
Van Dijk’s comments related to Liverpool chasing the game coming out for the second half, but very quickly finding themselves 3-0 down thanks to Antoine Semenyo‘s effort.
He said: “Obviously you come out of the dressing room (after half-time) 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.
“But also you shouldn’t give up, and that’s maybe what happened at a certain point. It’s mentally very tough at the moment, I must say.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play for Liverpool for so many years and the main thing always was the togetherness.
“Now, obviously, we are in a little bit of a transition so we have to find it. It’s still difficult to then perform each and every three days if we don’t have it consistently.
“The togetherness on the pitch to show it for 90 plus minutes every three or four days. That is difficult.”
Liverpool face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last eight this week, the same side who knocked them out of the competition last season.
Otherwise, the club can concentrate on the battle for Champions League qualification with just seven games left in the Premier League.
They currently sit in fifth, which is likely to be the final Champions League spot if England hold their place in UEFA‘s coefficient rankings.
But Liverpool have a battle on their hands with Chelsea just one point behind them in addition to Everton and Brentford who are three points back.
