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How to tune into Sport NationCrisis time for shocked Slot after Liverpool's latest loss
AP • November 27th, 2025 2:47 pm
Arne Slot | Photo: AP
Arne Slot is facing a full-blown crisis at Liverpool after the beleaguered English champions lost by a three-goal margin for the third straight game and plunged into their worst run of form in more than 70 years.
PSV Eindhoven pulled away for a 4-1 win at Anfield in the Champions League on Thursday (NZT) to leave Liverpool with nine defeats in their past 12 games, a scarcely believable streak for a team that cruised to the Premier League title a matter of months ago, then spent $570 million ($NZ997b) on new players in the summer transfer window.
"This is a shock. This is very, very unexpected," said Slot, whose position is coming under increasing scrutiny.
The Dutchman said it was inevitable there would be speculation over his future, given the run of results.
"If any manager around the world loses football games, let alone as many as we have lost, it's quite normal people have an opinion about that,'' he said.
"If it's fair or unfair, it's for other people to judge. Is that normal? I think it is. If you lose so many times, people start talking about that."
The last time Liverpool lost nine games in a 12-game streak in all competitions was in the 1953-54 season, stats company Opta said.
The Reds were coming off 3-0 losses in the Premier League at Manchester City before the international break and then at home to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
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Liverpool also lost 3-0 at Anfield to Crystal Palace in the English League Cup last month.
"This used to be a place where you hated to come, with the fans, with us, how we played. How we pressed, we were absolute dogs and then we have the ball and play," Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones said.
"Now, we hardly even play. There's times when we do play, but off-the-ball stuff, that's the stuff that has to change."
Defensive blunders have been largely to blame for Liverpool's issues and there were more against PSV, the Dutch champions and current Eredivisie leaders.
Firstly, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk's raised his arm at a corner and handled the ball to give away a penalty, converted by Ivan Perisic.
Dominik Szoboszlai equalised 10 minutes later, but after Guus Til regained the lead for PSV, Liverpool centre back Ibrahima Konate - a target for criticism from fans and pundits alike in recent months - missed the ball completely to let the visitors in on goal again.
US forward Ricardo Pepi shot against the post and Couhaib Driouech was there to convert the rebound. Minutes later, Konate was taken off.
Liverpool were bedraggled and Driouech added a fourth in stoppage time to complete the humiliation.
"We just have to face what we are in and fight really hard," Slot said.
Liverpool sit 13th in the 36-team Champions League standings, and 12th in the 20-team Premier League.
