Virgil van Dijk issues damning verdict after Man City thrashing leaves Liverpool reeling

Virgil van Dijk issues damning verdict after Man City thrashing leaves Liverpool reeling Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has become all too familiar with fronting up after losses - and his words after their FA Cup defeat by Manchester City told a clear storyCommentsSportAndy Dunn Chief Sports Writer12:00, 05 Apr 2026Updated 12:00, 05 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesVirgil van Dijk gave a honest take on where Liverpool are(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Virgil van Dijk never fails to front up. Even after a game where his own performance has not been up to standard, he tells it like it is. As he admits, he has been saying the same thing - apologising for below-par Liverpool efforts - too many times.‌But it felt a bit different in the immediate wake of the emphatic FA Cup loss to Manchester City. The fact that the side he captains played very well for more than half an hour but then capitulated made this loss even more painful.‌He chooses his words carefully, Virgil, which is why one comment sounded like an alarm bell. Talking about the start of the second half, which Liverpool began two goals to the worse, Van Dijk said: “Obviously you come out of the dressing room 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 here. But also you shouldn’t give up, and that’s maybe what happened at a certain point.”FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FB PAGE! Latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook pageREAD MORE: 'I've spoken to Mo Salah since Liverpool exit announcement - Arne Slot is behind it'READ MORE: Erling Haaland reveals X-rated message after Man City hat-trick vs LiverpoolGive up. The supporters certainly gave up, leaving in their droves long before the final whistle.‌The sight of Arne Slot applauding the one or two who remained in the 8,000-seat section of the visiting supporters’ stand was a telling sight to behold. And Van Dijk fully understood why the Li...