Liverpool's alarming slump under manager Arne Slot reached new depths as they suffered a comprehensive 3-0 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, marking their ninth loss in twelve matches across all competitions.
Early Penalty Sets Tone for Another Anfield Nightmare
The nightmare began early for the struggling Reds when captain Virgil van Dijk conceded a sixth-minute penalty after handling a Joey Veerman corner. Despite the Dutch defender's protests of being pushed by international teammate Jerdy Schouten, the decision stood, and veteran midfielder Ivan Perisic confidently converted from the spot past deputy goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
This early setback meant Liverpool have now conceded first in ten of their last twelve outings, highlighting the team's ongoing defensive fragility. The goal came as particularly bitter medicine for a side desperately needing a reaction following Saturday's disappointing performance against Nottingham Forest.
Brief Resurgence Before Collapse
To their credit, Liverpool responded positively to going behind. The midfield partnership of Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo showed renewed aggression, leading to a 16th-minute equaliser. Gakpo's effort forced PSV keeper Matej Kovar into a save, with the rebound falling perfectly for Dominik Szoboszlai to slot home.
The relief around Anfield proved short-lived as Liverpool's defensive vulnerabilities resurfaced after halftime. PSV regained control and found their second goal when Mauro Júnior glided past Mohamed Salah before threading a perfect pass between Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté for Guus Til to finish.
Defensive Errors Compound Liverpool's Misery
The match descended into farce for the home side when Konaté committed a dreadful error that allowed substitute Ricardo Pepi through on goal. Though Pepi's effort hit the post, fellow substitute Couhaib Driouech followed up to score.
Slot's decision to replace Konaté with an attacker backfired spectacularly as PSV exploited the exposed defence during stoppage time, with Driouech finding the bottom corner to complete the rout.
The final whistle was met with audible boos from the Anfield faithful, who have now witnessed their team suffer three consecutive defeats by three-goal margins. With pressure mounting on Slot and confidence visibly shattered, Liverpool face a monumental task to salvage their Champions League campaign and prevent a full-blown crisis from undermining the manager's position.
