Liverpool, England
Liverpool’s tumultuous season spiralled further into crisis on Wednesday night as PSV Eindhoven swept to a stunning 4-1 victory at Anfield in the Champions League, condemning the Premier League champions to their worst run of form in decades.
The result is Liverpool’s ninth defeat in their last 12 matches in all competitions—a record not seen at the club since the 1953-54 season—and places huge pressure on manager Arne Slot.
Defensive Collapse at Anfield
The match started badly for Slot’s side, who were trailing within minutes after Captain Virgil van Dijk conceded a penalty for a needless handball, which was converted by Ivan Perisic in the sixth minute.
Dominik Szoboszlai quickly equalised for the Reds in the 16th minute, pouncing on a rebound to fire home, but the goal failed to spark a recovery for the hosts.
The second half saw a complete collapse of Liverpool’s defensive structure:
- PSV Takes Control: Guus Til restored the lead for PSV in the 56th minute, beating the defence after a sublime pass from Mauro Junior.
- Farcical Goal: Liverpool’s misery was compounded in the 73rd minute in farcical fashion when defender Ibrahima Konaté gifted possession inside his own half. The resulting shot from Ricardo Pepi struck the post and fell straight to Couhaib Driouech, who slotted into the empty net.
- Sealed: Driouech bagged his second goal in stoppage time, finishing clinically after being set up by Sergino Dest, sealing the 4-1 humiliation.
Mounting Pressure on Slot
The woeful performance follows a 3-0 league defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend, meaning Liverpool have now lost three successive games, conceding 10 goals in the process.
Despite a massive summer spending spree following last season’s title triumph, Liverpool now languish in 12th place in the Premier League—the first time in over a decade they have been in the bottom half of the table.
The defeat marks Liverpool’s second loss in five Champions League group-stage games, putting their qualification for the last 16 in doubt and drawing loud jeers from sections of the angry home support upon the final whistle. The sight of empty red seats in the closing stages underscored the fans’ frustration with the team’s dramatic decline.
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