{"id":45418,"date":"2026-04-04T22:19:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T02:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/liverpools-45m-flop-looks-like-its-on-par-with-salah-and-van-dijk-post-man-city\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T22:19:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T02:19:15","slug":"liverpools-45m-flop-looks-like-its-on-par-with-salah-and-van-dijk-post-man-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/liverpools-45m-flop-looks-like-its-on-par-with-salah-and-van-dijk-post-man-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool&#8217;s \u00a345m flop looks like it&#8217;s on par with Salah and Van Dijk post-Man City"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/liverpools-45m-flop-looks-like-its-on-par-with-salah-and-van-dijk-post-man-city\/#Salah_and_Van_Dijks_performances_against_Man_City\" >Salah and Van Dijk&#8217;s performances against Man City<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/liverpools-45m-flop-looks-like-its-on-par-with-salah-and-van-dijk-post-man-city\/#Liverpool_star_looking_complete_under_the_slot\" >Liverpool star looking complete under the slot<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Liverpool&#8217;s chances of winning the FA Cup ended after they suffered an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad this afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>Arne Slott&#8217;s side were outclassed by Josep Guardiola&#8217;s side this afternoon, which will no doubt put even more pressure on the Dutchman&#8217;s shoulders.<\/p>\n<p>Erling Haaland&#8217;s hat-trick and Antoine Semenyo&#8217;s one-inch chip secured victory for the hosts, but the Reds were unable to maintain their quality throughout.<\/p>\n<p>Mohamed Salah had a chance to get his team on the scoresheet, but the Egyptian winger had his penalty saved by James Trafford, summing up the disastrous result in Manchester.<\/p>\n<p>It was a memorable afternoon for multiple players who started the matchup, and the starter&#8217;s role under the slot was certainly under a lot of pressure each week.<\/p>\n<p><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"salah-amp-van-dijk-rsquo-s-displays-against-man-city\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Salah_and_Van_Dijks_performances_against_Man_City\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Salah and Van Dijk&#8217;s performances against Man City<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As mentioned earlier, winger Salah endured yet another memorable afternoon for Liverpool, with his missed penalty kick in the second half being just the tip of the iceberg.<\/p>\n<p>The soon-to-be-departed attacker was able to complete just 50% of the dribbles he attempted, while also losing 50% of the ground battles he took part in.<\/p>\n<p>He also failed to create a single chance for his team-mates and failed to complete any of his 13 passes into the final third, further highlighting his lack of creativity.<\/p>\n<p>Centre-back Virgil van Dijk also endured a tough afternoon at the Etihad, giving away a penalty for a foul on Nico O&#8217;Reilly in the first half.<\/p>\n<p>The 34-year-old missed a single tackle, lost 100% of the ground battles he participated in, and was unable to get close to the hosts&#8217; attackers thereafter.<\/p>\n<p>Other statistics, such as committing two fouls and only two headed clearances, showed the struggle he endured against City, an unusually poor performance for the defender.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-liverpool-star-who-looks-finished-under-slot\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Liverpool_star_looking_complete_under_the_slot\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Liverpool star looking complete under the slot<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Following their exit from the FA Cup earlier this afternoon, the Champions League will be Liverpool&#8217;s only realistic chance of winning a trophy this season.<\/p>\n<p>However, to claim another European trophy, they must somehow get past current defending champions PSG in the next quarter-final.<\/p>\n<p>    The drop-off from last season&#8217;s title-winning campaign is notable and will no doubt raise questions about Slott&#8217;s long-term future in the role.<\/p>\n<p>He has been handed \u00a3400m worth of funding to strengthen the ranks, but given recent results it appears his huge spending is having a negative impact.<\/p>\n<p>Many were also baffled by the manager&#8217;s team selection, with the Dutchman giving Joe Gomez a starting spot at right-back against the menacing Jeremy Doku.<\/p>\n<p>The Englishman struggled mightily in this afternoon&#8217;s defeat to the Etihad, playing 62 minutes before being replaced by Jeremy Frimpong.<\/p>\n<p>He was constantly battered by City&#8217;s wingers, failing to win either of his two tackles and barely getting to the top after just four ground battles.<\/p>\n<p>Gomez was also able to complete just 22 passes during the meeting in Manchester, with only one of those to a teammate within the final third.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-container\">\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"1\" cellspacing=\"1\" style=\"\" align=\"\" summary=\"\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"2\" scope=\"col\" style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Joe Gomez &#8211; Stats against Man City<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>statistics<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>tally<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Play time (minutes)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>62<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>touch<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>46<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>pass completed<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>twenty two<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>loss of ownership<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>11<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>tackle win<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>advance to final third<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>1<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>An opportunity has arisen<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>blocks made<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>He also recorded just 46 touches on the ball, then lost the ball 11 times and gave away the ball once every 4.1 touches.<\/p>\n<p>After a performance like this, it&#8217;s clear that Gomez is no longer a player capable of performing at the top level, and the division needs to move him this summer.<\/p>\n<p>Salah&#8217;s departure this summer could begin a necessary rebuild at Anfield ahead of the 2026\/27 season, with the Englishman having been linked with a potential \u00a345m move to Newcastle United in 2024, needing to be a sacrificial player.<\/p>\n<p>    It will no doubt be an emotional sale given his long association with the Reds, but ultimately it is a decision that needs to be made in the club&#8217;s best interest.<\/p>\n<p>If the Reds are to continue to compete at the top of the Premier League next season, the board will need to make important decisions, and Gomez&#8217;s departure will complete that decision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Liverpool&#8217;s chances of winning the FA Cup ended after they suffered an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad this afternoon. Arne Slott&#8217;s side were outclassed by Josep Guardiola&#8217;s side this afternoon, which will no doubt put even more pressure on the Dutchman&#8217;s shoulders. Erling Haaland&#8217;s hat-trick and Antoine Semenyo&#8217;s one-inch chip secured [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[6909,270,2355,1114,40,609,8287,4900,1719,864],"class_list":{"0":"post-45418","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-45m","9":"tag-city","10":"tag-dijk","11":"tag-flop","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-liverpools","14":"tag-par","15":"tag-postman","16":"tag-salah","17":"tag-van"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45418"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45418\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}