Virgil van Dijk claimed Liverpool players stopped competing during their FA Cup quarter-final exit at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City secured a 4-0 victory to progress to the semi-finals of the competition. The Netherlands international apologised to the travelling supporters for the performance, according to Sky Sports.
Van Dijk stated that his side gave up during the second half of the match. City led 1-0 at the interval before scoring three times after the break to secure the win. The defender told reporters that the team's application was not at the required level for such a fixture, per The Guardian.
Manager Juergen Klopp's side now exits the competition as Manchester City joins the final four at Wembley. The result ends Liverpool's hopes of a domestic cup double this season. According to reports from the stadium, City dominated possession throughout the ninety minutes. Van Dijk admitted the visitors failed to show the necessary fight to remain in the contest.
