The Reds were dumped out of the FA Cup on Saturday in another embarrassing game that underlined the fragilities of Arne Slot’s side, but the Dutchman managed to identify one unorthodox positive
15:34, 04 Apr 2026Updated 16:24, 04 Apr 2026
Arne Slot said the only positive from Liverpool’s 4-0 loss at Manchester City was that the losing margin wasn’t greater(Image: Getty Images)
Arne Slot admitted he feared Liverpool’s margin of defeat could have been even greater at the Etihad after the Reds were dumped out of the FA Cup by Manchester City on Saturday.
The Reds lost 4-0 in their first match after the March international break, a defeat that means the Champions League now offers Liverpool’s only hopes of lifting silverware this season.
Despite the one-sided scoreline, it was an even encounter for the first 35 minutes in Manchester, before Virgil van Dijk tripped Nico O’Reilly in the final stages of the first half, which allowed Erling Haaland to net from the spot.
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Liverpool responded terribly to that setback, and Haaland headed in another before the break. Antoine Semenyo then scored three just five minutes after the restart, with Haaland grabbing his hat-trick in the 57th minute to complete Liverpool’s disastrous crumble.
Having conceded four in 14 minutes — including injury-time — Liverpool feared City flexing its muscles and running up an even more embarrassing scoreline.
That humiliation was increased when Mohamed Salah missed from the spot in his first appearance since confirming his decision to leave the club this summer.
This was another disastrous Liverpool performance(Image: Getty Images)
Slot admitted post-match that the quick-fire nature of City’s goals was a hammer blow either side of half-time.
“The 2-0 is also not nice just before we go in at half-time because we felt that in the first half that things were quite equal,” Slot told TNT Sports after the game.
“If you go 2-0 down, it is not helpful for your mood, especially after the season we have had. To go out and hope to get immediately into the game, but to also get punished with the 3-0 and 4-0 is really tough to take.
“The only good thing is that we didn’t concede more. Being 4-0 down away at the Etihad, the way we played in that moment, you are fighting the worst. But it stayed four.”
Slot fearing the margin of defeat could have been greater at the Etihad(Image: Getty Images)
Asked what Liverpool lacked at the Etihad, Slot replied: “Things that have been missing for large parts of the season: converting our chances into goals. That was the things that was missing in the first half.
“I think it was an equal game up until the moment they scored the penalty. The last time we played here, we conceded just before half-time, and today again. That was mentally not easy, to try and pick things up before half-time.
“About five or 10 minutes later, again they scored twice. What happened after, okay we get a penalty and we got chances, but that doesn’t tell me anything.
“The first 35 minutes, I saw a team that I would like to see, but for 20 minutes after we have to defend so much better than we were doing today.”