Liverpool’s alarming slump worsened on Wednesday night as a crushing 4-1 Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven heaped even greater pressure on manager Arne Slot, marking the club’s ninth loss in 12 games.
While Slot cannot be blamed for the catalogue of individual errors that gifted PSV their goals, he has so far been unable to halt a decline now threatening both their European ambitions and their domestic campaign.
Liverpool’s defensive collapse has reached historic levels, with the team conceding three or more goals in three straight matches for the first time since September 1992.
Ibrahima Konaté’s complete misjudgment of the ball for PSV’s third goal felt almost inevitable given his dreadful form, though Virgil van Dijk’s decision to give away a needless sixth-minute penalty was far more surprising.
Confidence is so low that even after Dominik Szoboszlai swiftly cancelled out Ivan Perisic’s opener, the early belief quickly evaporated.
Van Dijk endured arguably the worst opening spell of his Liverpool career. After conceding the penalty, with his raised arm making the offence undeniable, he then capped off a chaotic 20 minutes by lunging wildly at Ismael Saibari to pick up a booking.
Szoboszlai’s calm finish after Cody Gakpo’s parried strike had briefly restored hope, but Perisic’s early goal meant Liverpool never settled into any rhythm.
The hosts gradually grew into the game, with Hugo Ekitike forcing saves and Van Dijk heading against the bar, but PSV goalkeeper Matej Kovar was rarely seriously troubled despite Liverpool enjoying long spells of possession.
Fragility remained obvious. Curtis Jones, deployed as Liverpool’s fourth different starting right-back this season, nearly handed PSV another goal with an ill-judged chipped pass across his own box early in the second half.
Moments later, Guus Til punished non-existent pressing by stabbing home after Mauro Júnior was allowed to surge unchallenged from the halfway line.
Slot turned to record signing Alexander Isak in search of a spark, and while Szoboszlai drew another save and Gakpo headed wide from close range, defensive calamity struck again. Konaté
