Wirtz Disagrees with Van Dijk's Claim That Liverpool Gave Up Against Manchester City

Liverpool's Florian Wirtz has expressed his disagreement with captain Virgil van Dijk's assertion that the team gave up during their humiliating 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Reds manager Arne Slot also disputed Van Dijk's criticism, stating that he did not see any players giving up during the match. The comments came ahead of Liverpool's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain. Wirtz stated that although the game was difficult, the team still attempted to create scoring opportunities and did not surrender. Slot attributed the team's struggles to conceding goals at critical moments in the game, particularly just before and after half-time. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong reaction throughout the entire game, not just immediately after conceding. Liverpool is looking to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Manchester City, and Wirtz expressed confidence in the team's ability to perform well in big games, especially in the Champions League. However, he acknowledged that anything less than their best effort would result in a difficult evening against PSG. Wirtz also affirmed that the team still believes in manager Slot, despite the current challenges and pressure surrounding his position.