Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has apologised to the club's
fans after their embarrassing FA Cup exit to Reading on Wednesday
night.
The Reds' vice-captain admits that the performance against
the Championship strugglers was "not acceptable".
Rafa Benitez's men led 1-0 via an unfortunate own goal from
Ryan Bertrand but Gylfi Sigurdsson's injury-time penalty and Shane
Long's extra-time strike gave the Royals a famous cup upset.
Carragher pulled no punches about the performance and admits
the whole team must take a look at themselves.
"It was a very bad night for Liverpool and we can't disguise
that - we had to do more against a side from a lower league,"
Carragher told the Liverpool Echo.
"We have to apologise for the way we performed. We have to
give credit to Reading, hold our hands up. We all like to win but
when you don't, you have to be a good loser.
"We have to accept they deserved it. But, at the same time,
we have got to look at ourselves and the way we performed was not
acceptable.
"We've got a massive game coming up against Stoke now. It
will be very tough, as we played extra time and we have got to show
enormous character to come back.
"But that's what we have got to do. We have got to move on
but, at the same time, we have to say sorry to the fans who came to
Anfield and all those watching on TV."
Carragher also refused to blame off-the-field matters for the
below-par showing.
"We have got to do better and we have got to recover," added
Carragher. "There are still four months left of the season; it's
been tough and this result has made it a little bit tougher for us.
"But we are Liverpool. We can't be where we are and we have
got to improve. Liverpool Football Club demands certain standards.
At the moment we are not reaching them and we know that but we have
all got to come as one and stick together.
"The stuff that goes on off the field has got nothing to do
with it. I don't think so anyway. If you say it has, you are only
making excuses. Whatever goes on behind the scenes, we have got to
do our own job."
