'Only got ourselves to blame' - Virgil van Dijk gives honest assessment of FA Cup exit

Virgil van Dijk has insisted that Liverpool can only blame themselves for Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final exit, vowing that the Reds will "give everything" once they return from international duty. 

Liverpool suffered only their fifth loss of the season in a 4-3 defeat to bitter rivals Manchester United at the weekend, conceding a crushing 121st minute winner to Amad Diallo at Old Trafford.

Jurgen Klopp's side were in control of proceedings for large periods and had plenty of chances to kill the game off when leading by a goal in both normal and extra time.

However, sloppy individual mistakes and some wasteful finishing means that there will be no FA Cup trophy for the Reds this term.

Captain Virgil van Dijk, who was one of Liverpool's best performers at Old Trafford, has said that Liverpool were the architects of their own downfall on Sunday, insisting that they will bounce back from disappointment.

Writing on Instagram, the Dutchman said: "Only got ourselves to blame, especially after how good we have been so far this season!

"Time for internationals then we’re back to give it everything we have."

Liverpool will rue their costly mistakes in both halves at the weekend, but their FA Cup exit does allow them to focus their attention elsewhere for the remainder of the campaign.

The Reds are still in a brutal fight for the Premier League title with Manchester City and Arsenal this season, while they are favourites to win this year's Europa League having reached the final eight.

Klopp also insisted that Liverpool will bounce back from Sunday's defeat, with the March international break meaning that the Reds are not in action again until the end of the month.

Liverpool will be praying that nobody picks up any more injuries over the international period and that a few players even return in the next few weeks, with Klopp's men next in action against Brighton at Anfield on 31 March.