Liverpool’s season hit another low today, April 4, as they were thrashed 4–0 by Manchester City at the Etihad, crashing out of the FA Cup in a one-sided quarter-final.
At times competitive early on, the Reds ultimately collapsed under sustained pressure, with City’s clinical edge and control exposing the visitors’ fragility throughout.
Salah’s return overshadowed by nightmare display
All eyes were on Mohamed Salah, who returned to the starting XI for the first time since confirming he will leave the club this summer.
Yet what should have been a significant occasion quickly turned into a personal nightmare.
The Egyptian squandered multiple chances and saw a second-half penalty saved, epitomising Liverpool’s lack of composure in key moments.
Giorgi Mamardashvili continued in goal in the absence of the injured Alisson, while Curtis Jones was handed a rare start amid recent struggles for minutes.
Bright start undone by familiar failings
Liverpool began with purpose and intensity, creating early openings that hinted at a competitive contest.
Salah was sent through by a superb release from Mamardashvili, only to miscue his effort badly.
Ekitike soon followed with a presentable chance, firing over the bar when he ought to have tested the goalkeeper.
But as has so often been the case this season, missed opportunities proved costly.
Virgil van Dijk’s clumsy challenge gifted City a penalty, which Haaland converted confidently to break the deadlock.
From that moment, Liverpool’s resistance visibly drained. With a poor record when conceding first just two wins from 17 such matches the sense of inevitability quickly set in.
City doubled their lead before the interval, slicing through Liverpool’s passive press before Semenyo’s delivery was clinically headed in by Haaland.
Half-time: Man City 2–0 Liverpool
Second-half collapse seals humiliation. Any hopes of a response were extinguished almost immediately after the restart.
Semenyo extended City’s lead with a composed finish after Liverpool cheaply surrendered possession, exposing once again their defensive vulnerability and lack of organisation.
Salah had further chances to reduce the deficit but failed to capitalise, his finishing unusually erratic.
Moments later, Haaland completed his hat-trick with ease, as City cut through Liverpool at will. The contest had long since been decided.
The travelling supporters began to drift away, while those remaining watched a side devoid of confidence, structure and belief.
Salah’s saved penalty shortly after the hour only compounded the misery, underlining a thoroughly forgettable afternoon for both player and team.
A season hitting new lows
This defeat marks Liverpool’s heaviest loss of the campaign and continues a dismal record at the Etihad, where they have now won just six of 27 visits.
More concerning than the result itself was the manner of the performance passive, error-prone and lacking any real fight.
Attention now turns to the Champions League quarter-final against PSG, but on this evidence, there is little to inspire confidence of a response.
