'No fight, no character, no effort' — UK media reacts to Liverpool FA Cup exit

Liverpool was dumped out of the FA Cup on Saturday, as Arne Slot's players were thrashed 4-0 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, with Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick

Liverpool was thrashed on Saturday(Image: Getty Images)

And then there was one.

Liverpool's season now hinges solely on the Champions League after suffering a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the team's FA Cup quarterfinal on Saturday. Erling Haaland barely touched the ball inside the Reds' box — just three times — yet still bagged a hat-trick, with Antoine Semenyo also finding the net for City.

It marked yet another dismal performance in what has been a troubling campaign. While Liverpool.com was present and delivered comprehensive coverage as always, here's what the national press in the United Kingdom made of a woeful day for Arne Slot's men.

Paul Joyce — The Times

Joyce wrote in The Times: "There is a soft underbelly to a squad that think they are better than they are judging by the amount of tricks and flicks seen at 0-0 and that speaks directly to a head coach who should not test the patience of owner Fenway Sports Group too much.

"FSG wants the Dutchman to turn things around, but on days such as this, where are the signs that anything other than a further unravelling is going to occur?

"Whether it is Manchester City or someone else, too often you see players slaloming beyond those in Liverpool shirts.

Arne Slot is struggling at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

"When Liverpool try to do the same, they are dragged back, brought down or jostled off the ball."

Andy Hunter — The Guardian

Hunter wrote in The Guardian: "No fight, no character and, unforgivably, precious little effort for the 20 minutes when Manchester City ran riot either side of the interval resulted in the heaviest defeat of Slot's Liverpool reign. The pressure on the head coach rises again.

"A visit to the reigning European champions, Paris Saint-Germain, in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday threatens to turn the screw tighter. Liverpool will do well to keep the contest alive for the return at Anfield on this evidence. Inevitably, the spotlight intensifies on Slot, but what of a group of players – recipients of the highest wage bill in the Premier League last season – who effectively surrendered here on Saturday?

"Liverpool produced a showreel of embarrassments in the first of their two quarter-finals."

Lewis Steele — Daily Mail

Steele wrote in the Daily Mail: "This was the travelling Kop voting with their feet. Turning their backs not just physically but metaphorically. They pay their money, follow this lot around the country and time and again have not been repaid on the pitch.

"Not that any fan is entitled to success, they know that. But they are entitled to question what on earth is going on with this mess of a season. Liverpool are not learning and none of them, especially the head coach, seem to have the answers to fix it.

"A season that, do not forget, started with them spending £450 million on new signings from a position of strength having won the league. Forget any talk of a 'transition' year, that is a lame excuse only used in hindsight.

"This was supposed to be the time when they began building a dynasty."