Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he retains owners’ support after 4-1 Champions League defeat to PSV, his ninth loss in 12 matches.
LIVERPOOL: Arne Slot insists he remains confident of avoiding dismissal despite Liverpool’s disastrous 4-1 Champions League defeat against PSV Eindhoven.
The Dutch manager’s side suffered their ninth loss in 12 matches across all competitions, increasing pressure on his position.
Liverpool’s numerous deficiencies were brutally exposed by PSV in a demolition that prompted frustrated fans to jeer at the final whistle.
The unusual sight of empty seats well before full-time delivered a damning verdict on Liverpool’s dramatic decline this season.
Having lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest at Anfield last weekend, Liverpool have now suffered three consecutive defeats while conceding 10 goals.
This represents their worst run since the 1953-54 season, raising serious questions about Slot’s ability to reverse their fortunes.
Former captain Steven Gerrard intensified the pressure with a stark assessment of their situation.
“With each defeat it gets closer to being a crisis,” Gerrard told TNT Sport.
“There is no excuses for a performance like that at this football club. You cannot deny the team is struggling massively.”
Despite experiencing Liverpool’s second-heaviest European defeat, Slot maintains he retains backing from Fenway Sports Group.
“I am feeling safe, I am OK. I have got a lot of support from above,” he said.
“It would be nice to turn it around and get a victory, of course, but if you are not doing well then it is normal that questions are asked.”
Liverpool fell behind to Ivan Perisic’s early penalty, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s equaliser failing to inspire improvement.
Second-half goals from Guus Til and Couhaib Driouech, who scored twice, sealed Liverpool’s latest humiliation.
The reigning Premier League champions now sit 12th in the table, their first time in the bottom half for over a decade.
Their Champions League progression is also uncertain after a second defeat in five group stage matches.
Slot called for collective responsibility from players and coaching staff for their remarkable collapse.
“I think it is always about the team and I think we can all do better; individuals you are talking about but it goes down to everyone including myself,” he said.
Midfielder Curtis Jones offered a more blunt assessment of their unexpected struggles.
“I don’t have the answers. Honestly, I don’t. It’s just unacceptable. I’m past being angry inside,” Jones told RTE.
“We’re going to try and get this team back to where it needs to be, show everyone again what this club is about.” – AFP
