Liverpool 1-4 PSV Eindhoven: The Premier League champions had a miserable night at Anfield and are in trouble with nine defeats in their last 12 games.
Liverpool and Arne Slott’s problems were exacerbated by a 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven.
Peter Bosz and the Eredivisie giants have hit back to trouble the Dutchman once again following last season’s Champions League tussle with Feyenoord. Liverpool failed to pay attention to their poor performance as pressure mounted on the 47-year-old after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
It was a nightmare start at Anfield as Ivan Perisic put PSV ahead within five minutes after Virgil van Dijk was penalized for a strange hand. Dominik Szoboszlai hit back after coming under pressure from Liverpool midway through the first half.
read more: Alisson was left out of Liverpool’s squad against PSV as Arne Slott was forced into a change.read more: Steven Gerrard apologizes after being accosted by TNT Sports commentator during game against Liverpool
The Reds had chances in the second half as they tried to take the lead, but defensive mistakes proved costly as faults from Milos Kerkes and Ibrahima Konate allowed Guus Till and Kouhyb Drihues to take advantage of chances. In stoppage time, Dolihues added more salt to the wound by scoring four goals.
Here are the key talking points at Anfield:
Defensive weaknesses resolved again
It took just five minutes for PSV Eindhoven to break even in what was a terrible start for Liverpool. The Reds needed a response and a strong start the most, but they were unable to do so. Captain Virgil van Dijk was penalized for a handball from a corner. The in-swing shot responded to the central defender’s raised arm, and the referee didn’t hesitate to point to the spot.
The Dutch have nothing to complain about. His arm was raised, but it is unusual in Europe for penalties of that nature not to be handed out. Ivan Perisic’s penalty meant Liverpool lost top spot for the ninth time in 12 games.
There were more embarrassing moments for Liverpool, who were spared an offside flag when Jarek Gasiorowski was denied a goal after Ismael Saibari’s first-time effort was saved from a superb free-kick. Meanwhile, Curtis Jones almost gave PSV the lead after the restart with a loose backpass to Giorgi Mamadashvili.
But Liverpool were dealt a nasty punch when Mauro Junior burst through the midfield and Guus Till finished perfectly. Milos Kerkes was guilty of being too soft and looking on the wrong side. Konate then made a mistake for his third goal after passing through his legs. Liverpool were unable to stop the danger and Kuhaib Driwes scored from the rebound.
If Slott was hoping the field would open up and slurp him after the third goal, he certainly did when Drihues scored his second goal in stoppage time to make it 4-1.
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Salah’s struggle continues
It was another unforgettable night for Mohamed Salah. Considering his record in the Champions League, it was surprising to see him struggle against PSV. With Liverpool leading by two points, he supplied Kodi Gakpo with a great cross, but opted to give Alexander Isak a tap-in after missing a dangerous chance moments earlier.
The Egyptian rarely had a shot on target for the Reds. One of his few chances came after 20 minutes, but he shot wide after being given space, and it was a similar story for Salah in shooting position since finishing his contract at Anfield.
Liverpool will lose the 33-year-old at next month’s African Cup of Nations, with Slott now having to decide who to replace him. The Premier League champions are without a goal this season and need someone to step up to the plate in the absence of their iconic forward.
But perhaps Steven Gerrard answered best when asked if now is the time to let Salah go. “But for whom?” he asked. “If anyone was Liverpool manager, they would start Salah.”
Slot pressure increases
There were boos at full-time, followed immediately by the words: “We love Liverpool, we love them.”
Although the fans are rooting for their team, the slots are in serious trouble and cannot escape from this problem.
After falling two goals behind with 17 minutes remaining, the Dutchman folded his arms and turned his back to the bench. Liverpool dominated the ball and could have scored with Gakpo at the back post, but just like against Manchester United, they squandered a golden opportunity.
While Kerkez and Konate’s mistakes cannot be legislated, the former Feyenoord manager faces intense scrutiny over his future on the high-profile stage of Anfield. The Reds have had a winnable game on paper since the end of the international break, but their opponents will be chomping at the bit to inflict misery on the injured animal.
The media frenzy is likely to increase further and the Dutchman could very well play a few games to salvage his Liverpool career. A full-scale investigation must be conducted immediately.
Szoboszlai’s decision is justified
Slott got at least one thing right. Szoboszlai can’t do anything bad for Liverpool and justified the manager’s decision to take him further forward. The Hungarian captain pressed from the front and was the driving force behind the attack, scoring a goal worthy of his performance this season, showing a rare brilliance for the Reds.
The 25-year-old put in a promising performance as Liverpool’s iconic midfielder Gerrard looked on at the TNT Sports studio. He said, “That’s the position he wants himself to be in because he’s going to be judged on goals at the end of the season and that’s the kind of thing where he can contribute to double-digit scoring.”
Liverpool’s head coach now knows he will have to make a big change for the tenacious midfielder to move back into the center of the park after playing at right-back, depending on how long he stays at Anfield.
Etiquette wastes opportunities
Alexander Isak has been in the spotlight since he was prioritized for Saturday’s game against Nottingham Forest. Ekitike’s form has raised questions about why he was left out of the starting XI despite the French forward’s good form.
He showed his quality in the first half despite being thwarted by the visitors’ shot-stoppers. However, he soon went missing during the contest.
With an hour on the clock, he ran in behind and tried to beat a defender, but the ball flicked out of bounds. His performance in the second half was summed up when he pounded the ground in frustration and had to limp, seemingly adding to Liverpool’s injury woes.
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