Arabic version: فان دايك يعتذر بعد خروج ليفربول من كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي أمام مانشستر سيتي

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has apologised to the club’s supporters and said his side “gave up” as they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Manchester City. The loss leaves Liverpool’s hopes for silverware this season resting solely on the Champions League.

According to BBC News, the match turned decisively in Manchester City’s favor during an 18-minute span that included two goals before and after half-time. Van Dijk acknowledged that the team’s performance in the second half was unacceptable.

“I can only apologise to the fans for what we have shown, especially the second half,” Van Dijk stated. He highlighted the importance of maintaining determination, saying, “You shouldn’t give up and that’s maybe, at a certain point, what happened.”

The defeat has intensified scrutiny on manager Arne Slot, who led the club to the Premier League title in his first season in charge last year. Van Dijk emphasized the collective responsibility of the players, stating, “It’s a together thing, isn’t it? Obviously he’s responsible as the manager but we are the ones on the pitch that have to do it.”

Looking ahead, Liverpool is set to face Paris St-Germain in a crucial Champions League quarter-final, with Van Dijk urging his teammates to produce a strong response in their upcoming matches. “If we want to make something out of this season, then we have to try and produce something special the next three games,” he said.