Liverpool woes intensify after heavy PSV defeat

Liverpool's challenging campaign took another downturn as PSV Eindhoven secured an impressive 4-1 victory at Anfield during the Champions League match on Wednesday.

Arne Slot's team fell behind due to an early penalty from Ivan Perisic and although Dominik Szoboszlai managed to level the score, it failed to spark any improvement for the Reds.

Further strikes in the second half by Guus Til and Couhaib Driouech, who scored two goals, left the struggling Premier League title holders with their ninth loss in the last 12 outings across all competitions.

This marks Liverpool's poorest sequence of results since the 1953-54 season, increasing the scrutiny on the embattled Slot, with boos from frustrated supporters echoing at the end of the game.

Following a 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at home just last weekend, Liverpool have now dropped three matches in a row, shipping 10 goals along the way.

The Reds, who had suffered defeats in six of their previous seven Premier League fixtures, were tipped to excel everywhere this season after clinching the title last year and splashing cash in the transfer window.

However, Liverpool travel to West Ham on Sunday sitting in 12th position in the Premier League, marking their first appearance in the lower half of the standings in over ten years.

Their chances of defending the title are in ruins, and qualification for the Champions League knockout stages is uncertain following a second loss in five group matches.

This was their initial home reversal in the Champions League group stage in five years.

The Reds occupy 13th spot in the league phase, where the top eight advance directly to the last 16.

Slot confessed on Tuesday to feeling "guilty" about Liverpool's "ridiculous" form dip.

Yet the Dutch coach seems short on solutions for Liverpool's troubles, and the numerous vacant seats in red around the ground towards the end stood as a harsh judgement on their sharp fall from grace. 

Vulnerable Liverpool

Slot kept record British signing Alexander Isak on the sidelines after his most recent goalless performance over the weekend.

It changed little as Liverpool became the first English team to fall at home against PSV since 2008.

Liverpool showed a lack of drive, surrendered too many one-on-one battles, found it hard to penetrate a compact defence, and were frequently exposed on the break.

Virgil van Dijk had urged Liverpool's squad to own their performances individually, but the captain bore responsibility for PSV's opener in the sixth minute.

Rather than heading the ball away from a PSV corner, Van Dijk unnecessarily lifted his arm to stop it.

Van Dijk insisted he was fouled while dealing with the corner, but his appeals fell on deaf ears as Perisic slotted the spot-kick past the stunned Kop end.

Liverpool restored parity after only 10 minutes on this occasion.

Cody Gakpo's surge into the PSV box ended with a shot saved by Matej Kovar, allowing Szoboszlai to react and slot a first-time effort into the open goal from 12 yards.

Van Dijk almost atoned for his mistake shortly after, nodding a header off the crossbar from Mohamed Salah's corner kick.

Kovar dived to his left to deny Hugo Ekitike's effort from close range and wrap up the first period.

However, Liverpool's efforts yielded no additional goals, and vulnerabilities at the back were exploited in the 56th minute.

Mauro Junior's excellent pass sent Milos Kerkez struggling as Til drilled a strong shot beyond Giorgi Mamardashvili from 12 yards.

Gakpo heightened Slot's annoyance by heading well wide when well placed to tie the game from Szoboszlai's delivery.

Liverpool's suffering reached absurd levels in the 73rd minute.

Ibrahima Konate botched a pass in his own territory, letting Ricardo Pepi break free for a attempt that rebounded off the upright to Driouech, who tapped it in easily.

Slot watched in astonishment during added time as Sergino Dest broke away unchallenged and supplied Driouech for a sharp finish.