Liverpool have no ‘fighting spirit’ and their season is on the brink of collapse
It is less than 14 months since Liverpool came to the Etihad Stadium, Arne Slot outwitted one of his coaching heroes with his use of twin false nines, won 2-0 and took a giant stride towards the Premier League title. Pep Guardiola is not seen off quite that easily, however. Slot’s subsequent visits to Manchester City have been crushing.
Such slim chances as Liverpool had of retaining their Premier League crown ended with a 3-0 defeat in November. Their FA Cup run came to an abrupt halt with a 4-0 demolition here. “An unbelievable disappointment,” said Slot.
Richard Jolly, at the Etihad 4 April 2026 23:33
Salah misses penalty as Liverpool’s day goes from bad to worse
The City fans were buoyant at 4-0, breaking out into a Poznan celebration and Cherki attempted some flicks in his own box.
The atmosphere was punctured as Nunes felled Ekitike but lifted again as Trafford punched away Salah’s spot-kick – a bad day becoming worse for Liverpool.
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 22:33
Haaland completes his hat-trick as Liverpool collapse
A fourth goal came before the hour as Haaland completed his treble by crashing in a shot off the crossbar from an O’Reilly cutback.
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 21:33
Semenyo adds third as Man City rip Liverpool apart
City upped the tempo further after the break, increasing their lead as Semenyo raced onto another fine pass from Cherki and clipped over Mamardashvili.
Composure personified 🥶
Antoine Semenyo with a clinical finish to put Man City 3-0 up!
📺 Watch live on TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/Vd4IAQR5BA
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2026
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 20:33
Haaland doubles City’s lead on stroke of half-time
Haaland doubled his tally for the day in first-half stoppage time after Cherki released Semenyo with a cleverly disguised pass and the Norwegian headed the Ghana international’s cross past Mamardashvili.
What a goal that is 😮💨
Man City double their lead over Liverpool through Erling Haaland!
📺 Watch live on TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/rgRGsnx7bJ
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2026
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 19:33
Erling Haaland opens the scoring from the spot
City had a penalty appeal rejected after Rayan Cherki went down following a challenge from Milos Kerkez.
Guardiola, watching a replay in the stand as he completed a touchline ban, appeared perplexed but VAR backed the decision.
Michael Oliver did point to the spot, however, when Nico O’Reilly was tripped after turning Virgil van Dijk.
There was little debate and Haaland rammed home from 12 yards for only his second goal in seven outings but his 31st for the campaign.
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 18:33
Arne Slot looks ahead to Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final against PSG
Liverpool face a daunting test at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday and Arne Slot told TNT Sports:
“It’s very big and very important because it’s not every season that you play a quarter-final of the Champions League. So we’re really looking forward to that playing against a very good side again, like we played today against a very good sides. But we’re looking forward to that.
“It’s not the only objective we have. We want to qualify for Champions League next season as well. So there’s still for us a lot to play for, although in general we feel that we’ve had a lot, a lot of setbacks and disappointments, but that’s also part of being a football player, part of being a human being.
“It cannot always go positive, and you have to be there and stand up when things are not so positive or negative, and that’s what it is about now. And then players that have shown so much quality in the past now have a fantastic chance. To show that against Paris Saint-Germain as well.”
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 17:33
Arne Slot admits: ‘The only good thing was we didn’t concede more’
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot, speaking to TNT Sports:
“The 2-0 is not nice just before you go in at half-time because we felt that in the first half, things were quite equal. We went 2-0 down, and that’s not really helpful for your mood, especially in the after the season we’ve had.
“And then going out, hoping to come back into the game, but immediately then get punished with a 3-0 and a 4-0, that’s really hard to take and the only good thing about that was that that we didn’t concede more
“Because being 4-0 down away at the Etihad, and the way we played in that moment, you fear the worst, although it was already the worst.”
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 16:33
Szoboszlai sends message to Liverpool team-mates after capitulation
Szoboszlai told TNT Sports: “The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough. The mentality wasn’t there enough. None of us were there to be honest as much as we could.
“It’s a hard time but we have to stick together. On Wednesday there is another chance but we have to get in our head this is not the season we would like to end.
“We had chances and missed them, we conceded an easy penalty. We lose 4-0. We cannot concede as much as we concede. It’s hard to find words, to be honest. We wanted this one so much. You lose 4-0 at City and it’s not the best.”
Richard Jolly 4 April 2026 16:22
Erling Haaland: ‘First half we struggled a bit but we kept going’
Erling Haaland, speaking to TNT Sports on Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Liverpool: “Amazing. Honestly, first half we struggled a bit, but then after around 30 minutes we kept going, we kept going.
“Amazing game at home. Another Wembley trip for us. It’s amazing and important. It’s about trying to do our best because this club, we have to win trophies and we have to perform at the best and biggest stage.”
Jamie Braidwood4 April 2026 16:13