Liverpool’s FA Cup campaign is over after a 4-0 quarterfinal defeat to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, a result that left manager Arne Slot and his players searching for answers about their mentality and defensive organization in big matches.
Erling Haaland was the central figure, converting a first-half penalty before heading home a second just before the break and completing his hat trick prior to the hour mark. Antoine Semenyo added the third goal shortly after halftime to put the result beyond any doubt. Mohamed Salah, who had been Liverpool’s most dangerous attacker throughout, saw a 63rd-minute penalty saved by James Trafford, capping a difficult afternoon for the visitors.
The defeat eliminates Liverpool from domestic cup competition this season and leaves the Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain as the club’s last remaining chance at silverware.
How the game unfolded
The opening exchanges were relatively even, with neither side creating clear openings. Liverpool came closest early on when a long kick from goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili dropped over the City defensive line and found Salah inside the area, only for Abdukodir Khusanov to slide in and deflect the shot away at the vital moment.
City broke the deadlock when the referee awarded a penalty for a Virgil van Dijk trip on Nico O’Reilly. Haaland converted with confidence, rolling the ball into the bottom right corner. Then, deep into first-half stoppage time, Haaland got to a Semenyo delivery first and flicked a header inside the left post to double the lead at a moment that proved particularly damaging.
Liverpool fell three behind within five minutes of the restart. Rayan Cherki slid a pass through for Semenyo, who went one on one with Mamardashvili and dinked the ball over the goalkeeper. Haaland then completed his treble before the hour, scooping a finish in off the crossbar from O’Reilly’s pass.
Slot introduced substitutes in an attempt to change the game’s momentum, but Trafford’s save from Salah’s penalty and a strong stop from an Alexis Mac Allister effort from distance ensured the score remained 4-0.
What Liverpool’s players and manager said
Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai was openly critical of the team’s approach after the final whistle, saying the fighting spirit and mentality were not where they needed to be and that the result reflected a collective shortcoming rather than individual errors. He acknowledged the squad wanted this game and that losing by this margin at City was difficult to process.
Slot was similarly direct, identifying the period immediately after halftime as the moment the game was effectively decided. He pointed to runs not being tracked, crosses not being blocked and duels not being won as the recurring defensive failures across the four goals. He described missing the fighting spirit most acutely in those opening minutes of the second half, when City scored twice in quick succession to make it 3-0.
What comes next for Liverpool
Saturday’s result leaves Liverpool with one competition still to play for this season. The Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday now carries the full weight of a campaign that had promised more at the start. Szoboszlai acknowledged it had been a hard stretch for the squad but said the group needed to reset quickly and approach Wednesday with a different mindset.
In the Premier League, Liverpool is also navigating a tight battle for a top-five finish that would secure Champions League football next season. Manchester United and Aston Villa currently sit ahead of the club in the standings, with Chelsea, Brentford and Everton applying pressure from below. Every remaining league result carries consequences that extend well beyond this season.
