PSV thumps embattled Liverpool at Anfield
Liverpool's dismal run plumbed new depths as it slumped to a humiliating 4-1 Champions League defeat to PSV at Anfield.
PSV beat Liverpool on the final day of the league phase last season, but by that stage, the Reds had already wrapped up top spot in the table.
Yet this time around, Liverpool is 13th in the standings after another wounding home defeat.
The match started badly for Arne Slot's beleaguered team, which has lost three straight games, conceding three goals in each of those defeats, when Virgil van Dijk inexplicably handled from a corner, paving the way for Ivan Perisic to put PSV ahead from the penalty spot six minutes in.
Dominik Szoboszlai restored parity 10 minutes later when he slotted into a gaping net on the rebound from a saved Cody Gakpo attempt, bringing up Liverpool's 500th European Cup/Champions League goal in the process.
Van Dijk hit the crossbar as Liverpool probed for a second, yet the tide swung back in PSV's favour in the second half.
Mauro Junior strode in unchallenged from the left wing and supplied a neat cross from which Guus Til prodded in his first Champions League goal in the 56th minute.
PSV's advantage was doubled 17 minutes later as the visitor capitalised on more shambolic defending, with Ibrahima Konate caught out. Ricardo Pepi struck the post, but Couhaib Driouech was on hand to tuck in.
A famous PSV victory was capped off in second-half stoppage time as Driouech drilled home from Sergino Dest's cutback, with a chorus of jeers greeting Slot and his team at full-time.
It is nine defeats in the space of 12 games for Liverpool, which has shipped three goals in three straight matches in all competitions for the first time since September 1992.
Liverpool amassed 27 shots and got nine of those on target, recording 53 touches in PSV's box, but it lacked potency when it mattered, while they were all at sea yet again in defence, with PSV converting four of the six attempts it got on target.
The pressure is now firmly on Slot, who has only won one of his last nine games against PSV in all competitions. Indeed, against no team has the Liverpool boss suffered more defeats in his managerial career than the five times he has gone down to the Eredivisie champion.
