Liverpool's Night of Turbulence: Slot's Calm Amid a Harsh European Test

Liverpool suffer a heavy European setback

The Dutchman Arne Slot, Liverpool's manager, remained composed after a heavy 1-4 defeat by PSV Eindhoven at Anfield on Wednesday night, the fifth group-stage match of the Champions League.

Struggles compound domestic woes as results tumble

The loss followed a 3-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Liverpool have lost nine of their last twelve matches in all competitions, equalling the club's worst 12-match run since November 1953 to January 1954, and they have suffered three consecutive losses by at least three goals for the first time since December 1953.

The Reds have also dropped four of their last six home games in all competitions, matching a worrying trend for a side accustomed to challenging on multiple fronts.

Slot said after the Eindhoven defeat, 'I'm not worried, my focus is on other matters rather than worrying about my own future with the club, and certainly things need a better assessment. I know that.'

'I do speak with club officials, but they don't text me every minute to reassure their confidence; we have normal conversations, and I feel confident. I haven't spoken to them again after this match yet, and we'll see what happens.'

Speaking on TNT Sports, Slot added, 'The feelings are negative and very disappointing, especially how we conceded the first goal and then fell 0-1 behind. I want to stay optimistic about how the players react when we fall behind; we did come back and could have gone 2-1, and I don't think anyone expected us to lose 1-4.'

He noted that Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool captain, appeared to be unsettled after a light push that saw his arm raised and the ball hit his hand, leading to a disputed penalty.

After the break, the team fell behind 1-2 early, had chances to draw level at 2-2, but conceded a third late in the game, a result hard to swallow.

Slot tried to find positives, saying, 'After we conceded the first goal, I saw a reaction I hoped for; the mindset afterward was what I wanted to see, and we did attempt to equalize, but in the end we lost decisively.'

He also added, 'I liked our first-half response, but the intensity and aggression in the first half did not carry into the second.'

Slot stressed, 'We must confront ourselves to understand why we are in this situation; we must fight, and the focus should be on how to progress rather than settle for a draw, and the response must fit a Liverpool shirt.'

With a second Champions League defeat this season, Liverpool drop to 13th in the group with 9 points; three games remain, including two away tests against Inter Milan on 9 December in San Siro and Olympique de Marseille on 21 January, then a home match against Qarabagh on 28 January 2026. They must win all three to stay in knockout contention and avoid tougher playoff ties.

In the Premier League, Liverpool still have five matches left this year and sit 12th after 12 games. The schedule includes West Ham United on Sunday, Sunderland four days later, then an away trip to Leeds United on 6 December, followed by Inter Milan three days later, then a home clash with Brighton and away to Tottenham, before Wolves visit on 13, 20 and 27 December.

Overall, the Reds face a crucial period to salvage the season, or risk more questions about the project under Slot.

Punchline time: If defending were a secret mission, Liverpool forgot the map. Punchline 2: Slot says the plan is to fight and progress—let's hope the bridge to the next game has fewer holes than this defense.