Arne Slot issues message to Liverpool fans after Dominik Szoboszlai tantrum

It was another difficult afternoon for the Dutchman, who saw his side blown away at the Etihad by a superb Manchester City side — yet Slot retains some hope ahead of the midweek Paris Saint-Germain clash

Arne Slot said Liverpool fans have not yet turned on the team(Image: TNT Sports)

Arne Slot said Liverpool can still count on the support of its fans despite the Reds’ campaign suffering a fresh new low on Saturday with a 4-0 loss against Manchester City.

The FA Cup quarterfinal exit was the biggest defeat of Slot’s Anfield tenure, and raises serious questions about how much longer it will last.

By the end of another chastening defeat, the majority of Liverpool’s fans had prematurely departed the Etihad, while a viral social media clip showed many chanting Xabi Alonso’s name as they left the ground. The loss also means Slot’s hopes of ending his second season at Anfield with a trophy now depend solely on Liverpool’s Champions League aspirations.

With a trip to reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain beckoning on Wednesday, there is little optimism among the fanbase. Yet Slot does not yet feel the tide has turned.

“We don’t want them to leave early – we have to perform better. That’s the first thing,” the ex-Feyenoord boss said when asked if he had a message for the fans.

“And we have to show now that we react after a loss like this and after so many disappointments we already had this season.

Slot was hugely disappointed by Liverpool's FA Cup exit against Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)

“The good thing is the fans have always been supportive, even today; during large spells of the first half they were very loud, before the game they were very loud.

“So, it’s up to us not only to react for them but also to ourselves. And that’s what we need to do on Wednesday, when we again face a very good team, where we again need to play as we did in the first 35 minutes. But in moments of defending, we need to be much more ruthless than we’ve been today.”

Dominik Szoboszlai made unwanted headlines after the game when he seemed to gesticulate to a fan in the crowd and had to be led away by Federico Chiesa, while he also claimed that Liverpool lacked "fighting spirit."

Dominik Szoboszlai was involved in a confrontation with a Liverpool fan(Image: Getty Images)

“I should ask him what he means – what he means and what period of time,” Slot said, when asked about those remarks. “If he felt that was the whole game, I did not feel this until the moment they scored the 1-0. And I think after they scored the 1-0, we were still in the game.

“But then we had a throw-in, twice we conceded when we had a throw-in. And they go so fast. In those moments, you have to defend sharper. The second goal was a similar one we conceded earlier on this season over here.

“And the second time that we concede just before half-time, playing Man City. I miss the fighting spirit definitely in the first 10 minutes after half-time, and then afterwards it was just a game where both teams accepted it was 4-0.

“But in that 10, 15 minutes of time, I missed fighting spirit, but just the willingness to win your duel, to be there first, to make it difficult for either a pass or a cross or a finish. Yeah, that is something that we definitely have to do better on Wednesday.”