Three Liverpool Players Produced Dismal Performances Against PSV, Leaving Slot Exposed

Arne Slot’s difficulties at Liverpool deepened on Wednesday night after a 4–1 loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, marking the club’s ninth defeat in 12 matches across all competitions.

Despite Liverpool’s poor form, Slot stuck with a familiar starting XI. Dominik Szoboszlai lined up at right-back, Curtis Jones operated in midfield, and Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike, and Cody Gakpo formed the front three.
Even with the team eager to respond in front of the Anfield crowd, Liverpool were undone by goals from Ivan Perisic, Guus Til, and a brace from Couhaib Driouech. The result has intensified scrutiny on Slot’s future.

While Slot is under the spotlight, several players offered little support and ultimately let their manager down, leaving him with tough decisions to make ahead of the upcoming fixtures.

Van Dijk, Salah, and Gakpo Struggle Against PSV

Unsurprisingly, Mohamed Salah endured another below-par display. The forward failed to produce a goal or assist yet again, managing only one shot all night. He has now gone three matches without a goal contribution and has scored just twice in his last ten outings.

Cody Gakpo also had a difficult evening. Although he did pick up an assist after his effort was parried into Szoboszlai’s path for the equaliser, his overall performance was poor. The Dutchman lost the ball 21 times, completed only 3 of 9 crosses, and squandered a clear chance, per Sofascore.

Perhaps most unexpectedly, it was Virgil van Dijk—rather than the frequently criticised Ibrahima Konaté—who endured the roughest night in defence. The captain gave away a penalty with a blatant handball, his third penalty concession of the season, drawing comparisons to a basketball “slam dunk.” His general play was also shaky, raising renewed questions about what more Joe Gomez must do to earn a starting spot.

Fans Vent Frustration After Another Defeat

With Liverpool sliding to yet another loss, sections of the fanbase are calling for managerial change, despite last season’s dominant Premier League triumph. Supporters’ patience with key players is also wearing thin. Some fans expressed being “sick and tired” of watching Salah and Gakpo, calling their displays “awful,” while others argued the team was effectively playing with nine men.

Many are demanding both be benched, especially with options like Federico Chiesa, Rio Ngumoha, and Florian Wirtz available.

Although Salah and Van Dijk have long been viewed as untouchable, Slot may be forced to make drastic decisions if he hopes to turn things around—and keep his job.