‘Missing’—Dominik Szoboszlai Tears Into Liverpool Teammates After Man City Humiliation

Arne Slot damningly agreed with some of Szoboszlai’s scathing assessment of the 4–0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.

Liverpool were poor at the Etihad Stadium. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai said that the Reds didn’t fight or have the right mentality to win after Saturday’s 4–0 FA Cup elimination at the hands of Manchester City.

Arne Slot agreed, looking specifically at the period after Liverpool conceded the first goal, but then admitted the team were punished multiple times for momentary lapses. All four City goals were scored in spells either just before or just after halftime—including an Erling Haaland hat-trick.

“The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough. The mentality wasn’t there enough. None of us were there to be honest as much as we could,” Szoboszlai complained after the final whistle.

“I don’t know [why it happens]. It’s hard to find words to be honest. We wanted this one so much. You lose 4–0 at City and it’s not the best. I always say when we do [fight] we are winning, when we don’t do it we are losing. You have to fight, work hard, be there for each other.

“That’s what we are missing sometimes.”

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Slot Bemoans Mentality During Specific Spell

Arne Slot was less negative in his overall assessment. | James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

When Szoboszlai’s comments were put to Slot, the Dutchman was only particularly concerned about the lack of fighting spirit in the opening period of the second half—City took a two-goal lead into the interval and scored their third and fourth within 12 minutes of the restart.

“I should ask Dom what he means and in what period of time,” Slot said. “I did not feel this until the moment they scored to make it 1–0. At 1–0 we were still in the game, but twice we conceded from us having a throw-in. They are fast but those are the moments where you have to defend sharper.

“The second goal was similar to one we conceded here earlier this season and again we conceded just before half time here. I missed the fighting spirit definitely in the first 10 minutes after half time. Afterwards that it was just a game where both teams accepted it was 4–0.

“I missed fighting spirit in that period and the willingness to win the duel, to be there first and to make it difficult for either a pass, a cross or a finish.”

In Slot’s eyes, the performance wasn’t a total disaster over the full 90 minutes: “If you simply look at the goals, I see runs not being followed, I see crosses not being blocked, I see duels not being won. Then you’re completely right, but that’s not the story of the whole game. Every single time we forget to block a cross or follow a runner then it was a goal.”

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Only Champions League Left for Liverpool

Liverpool are imminently back in Champions League action. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

With the FA Cup gone, Liverpool’s only chance to win a trophy this season now rests with the Champions League. The Reds are in quarterfinal action on Wednesday against Paris Saint-Germain, the cup holders who knocked them out last season.

“It’s a hard time but we have to stick together,” Szoboszlai said. “On Wednesday there is another chance but we have to get it in our head this is not the season we would like to end.”

Liverpool face a battle just to qualify for next season’s Champions League, so trying to win the competition in the coming months could take on extra significance because lifting the trophy also guarantees a place in the 2026–27 league phase, irrespective of anything else.

Even with a top-five finish in the Premier League likely to be enough to qualify, Liverpool’s place is far from assured. They currently sit fifth, but Manchester United and Aston Villa are six and five points further ahead respectively. The Reds have only a one-point lead over Chelsea in sixth, while even Brentford and Everton are within striking distance—only three points behind Liverpool.

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