Wirtz Disagrees with Van Dijk's Post-Match Criticism Following Man City Defeat

Liverpool's Florian Wirtz has expressed disagreement with captain Virgil van Dijk's assertion that the team gave up during their FA Cup loss to Manchester City. Manager Arne Slot also questioned Van Dijk's criticism, stating that he didn't see any players giving up during the 4-0 quarter-final defeat. The comments came ahead of Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain. Van Dijk had said that coming back from 3-0 down was difficult, but that the team shouldn't give up, implying that they did at some point. Wirtz argued that the team still tried to create chances to turn the game around, even when they were 3-0 or 4-0 down. Slot noted that conceding goals at crucial moments can be damaging, but he didn't see any players giving up. The manager acknowledged that a strong reaction from the captain can be beneficial, but hopes that the team can show a strong reaction in their upcoming game. Liverpool are in for a tough match against PSG, and Slot knows that a drop in performance like the one against Manchester City will result in another heavy defeat. Wirtz insisted that the players still believe in Slot, despite the pressure on the manager. The team is looking to bounce back from their FA Cup exit and make a strong showing in the Champions League.