Liverpool’s Season in Crisis as Slot Faces Mounting Pressure After PSV Rout
Liverpool’s latest setback in a rapidly deteriorating season saw Arne Slot and his squad loudly jeered off the pitch, their flaws brutally exposed in a humbling 4–1 Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven. The loss — Liverpool’s ninth in their last 12 matches in all competitions — has intensified scrutiny on Slot, whose tenure is now overshadowed by deep tactical issues, fragile confidence, and growing discontent among supporters.
The atmosphere at Anfield told its own story. Long before the final whistle, swathes of red seats stood empty, a rare and damning sight at a stadium renowned for unwavering loyalty. This mass exodus mirrored the shock and frustration of a fan base watching their team endure one of the worst runs in modern club history.
Liverpool, beaten 3–0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield the previous weekend, have now lost three consecutive games while conceding 10 goals. The slump represents their poorest form since the 1953–54 season — a statistic that underscores the scale of the crisis confronting Slot.
Growing Criticism From Club Legends
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard added significant weight to the criticism directed at Slot and his team. Speaking on TNTSport, Gerrard stressed that the situation is spiraling toward a full-blown crisis.
“With each defeat it gets closer to being a crisis,” Gerrard remarked. “There are no excuses for a performance like that at this football club. You cannot deny the team is struggling massively. Their confidence is at an all-time low. They are wide open. Unless the manager can find answers and stability in his team, this situation is going to continue.”
Gerrard’s words echoed the concerns of supporters who watched Liverpool’s usually resilient defense fall apart again, leaving Slot to answer increasingly pointed questions about his ability to arrest the slide.
Despite the heavy European defeat — Liverpool’s second-heaviest in their continental history — Slot insisted he still has the backing of Fenway Sports Group, the club’s US-based owners.
“I am feeling safe, I am OK. I have got a lot of support from above,” Slot affirmed after the match. “Of course it would be nice to turn it around and get a victory, but if you are not doing well then it is normal that questions are asked. I need to do better and that’s what I’m trying to do every single day.”
He emphasized that his focus remains on improving performances rather than worrying about his job status. However, his assurances offered little comfort to fans who watched Liverpool’s latest collapse unfold.
Liverpool’s evening unraveled early when Ivan Perisic converted a penalty to put PSV ahead. Although Dominik Szoboszlai’s equaliser briefly lifted spirits, it proved a false dawn. Guus Til restored the Dutch side’s lead, and Couhaib Driouech punished Liverpool with two clinical second-half goals, sealing a bruising night for the Premier League champions.
The defeat leaves Liverpool with just one win in their last seven league games and languishing in 12th place — their first time in the bottom half of the table in over a decade. Last season’s title triumph and the summer spending spree, which raised expectations for sustained dominance, now feel like distant memories.
With their Premier League title hopes in tatters, Liverpool also face uncertainty in Europe. Their loss to PSV marked their first home defeat in the Champions League group stage in five years. The Reds now sit 13th in the league phase, with only the top eight guaranteed a place in the last 16.
Slot tried to shield individual players from blame, insisting responsibility must be shared across the squad and coaching staff.
“It is always about the team and I think we can all do better,” he said. “It goes down to everyone including myself.”
But midfielder Curtis Jones offered a far more candid and bleak assessment.
“I don’t have the answers. Honestly, I don’t,” Jones told RTE. “It’s just unacceptable. I’m past being angry inside. We’re going to try and get this team back to where it needs to be… but right now, it needs to change.”
Liverpool’s trip to West Ham on Sunday now looms as a potentially defining moment for Slot. A victory could provide a platform for recovery, but another defeat may deepen the crisis and place his position under even greater threat.
For now, Slot insists he is “not worried,” but with the club’s form at historic lows and their Champions League future uncertain, the pressure continues to mount — and fans are running out of patience.
Source- EWN
