Arne Slot sent blunt Liverpool warning as Mohamed Salah misery says it all - 5 talking points
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This is what we spotted at the Etihad Stadium.Mohamed Salah looks dejected during the FA Cup game between Man City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside via Getty Images)ETIHAD STADIUM, MANCHESTER // Liverpool fell to its heaviest defeat of the Arne Slot era with its wide-open defense undoing the good work put in during a strong start.Arne Slot's side had done fairly well in the first half but after Milos Kerkez survived one penalty shout, Virgil van Dijk was not so fortunate. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded.READ MORE: Man City 4-0 Liverpool LIVE Haaland hat-trick, Semenyo goal, score updates, live streamREAD MORE: Arne Slot rebuffs Mohamed Salah 'assumption' but refuses to reveal reason for Liverpool exitMohamed Salah miseryWhen Mohamed Salah revealed during the international break that he would be leaving at the end of the season, there were many questions.
Liverpool played a system that will suit Alexander Isak — not yet back from injury after just a couple of team training sessions — but with Salah up top.That is how to get the best from him — he needs to be as close to goal as possible these days — but Salah missed a big chance early on that Isak would have buried and never looked that likely to score from the spot when James Trafford made a good save.The mark he left on his last visit to East Manchester was meek, and as the end nears, this was a possible glimpse of where the future lies. Jones hasn't been used as frequently as he should have been this term.Curtis Jones of Liverpool(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)Man City sends reminderWhen Marc Guehi's name was read out ahead of kick-off, there was a short boo from the Liverpool away end.
It wasn't his fault that his move from Crystal Palace fell through at the last second in September, but both he and Semenyo were looked at by the Reds before ending up at the Etihad Stadium.Given Liverpool's struggles at the back this season, Guehi would have made a difference for Liverpool across the course of the campaign, though no one could have foreseen Ibrahima Konate's troubles or the long-term injury sustained by Giovanni Leoni. It was unfortunate, then, that Liverpool got the hardest possible draws in each.Manchester City has not lost a game in this competition outside of fixtures at Wembley since February 2018, while PSG is the European holder and the side that hammered the Reds in Paris last season — albeit the scoreline didn't reflect that.To stand a chance on Wednesday, Liverpool will have to improve again.