What might have been deemed a wobble appears to be a full-blown crisis for Arne Slot at Liverpool, with the beleaguered English champions getting thrashed for the third straight game.
It is now nine defeats in its last 12 games for Liverpool after PSV Eindhoven left Anfield with a 4-1 win in the Champions League. The Reds were coming off 3-0 losses in the Premier League to Manchester City before the international break and Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The run of form is Liverpool’s worst since 1953-54, and has placed manager Arne Slot under increasing pressure — an inconceivable scenario, given Liverpool cruised to the Premier League title a matter of months ago — and defensive mistakes again led to his team’s downfall against PSV.
The loss made it three consecutive losses by three or more goals for Liverpool for the first time since December 1953.
Firstly, Virgil van Dijk’s raised hand touched the ball at a corner to give away a penalty, converted by 36-year-old Ivan Perisic for the opener to the Dutch champions.
Dominik Szoboszlai equalised 10 minutes later but after Guus Til regained the lead for PSV, Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate — a target for criticism from fans and pundits alike in recent months — missed the ball completely to let the visitors in on goal again.
American forward Ricardo Pepi shot against the post and Couhaib Driouech was there to convert the rebound.
Driouech added a fourth in stoppage time to complete the humiliation.
Mbappé scores a hat-trick in seven minutes
Kylian Mbappé (right) scored a hat-trick inside just seven minutes as Real Madrid recorded a comfortable win against Olympiakos. (Getty Images: Alex Pantling)
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé has scored the second-fastest hat trick in Champions League history by netting three times in just under seven minutes at Olympiakos on Wednesday in his side’s chaotic 4-3 win.
Mbappé scored in the 22nd, 24th and 29th minutes — after Chiquinho had put Olympiakos ahead in the eighth. The France international also scored a fourth goal in the 60th after Mehdi Taremi had scored for the hosts in the 52nd.
Mohamed Salah’s hat-trick for Liverpool at Rangers in 2022 had broken the record for the quickest ever scored in the Champions League, according to UEFA. The Egypt forward needed six minutes, 12 seconds to score his goals after entering the match seven minutes before his opening strike.
It was Mbappé’s fifth hat trick in the Champions League — and second this season. He had scored three times against Kairat in the second round of the league phase.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have eight hat-tricks each in the Champions League, while Robert Lewandowski has six.
Mbappé now leads the Champions League in scoring this season with nine goals, three more than Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen.
Arsenal top after winning heavyweight clash
Arsenal has beaten Bayern Munich for the first time in a decade to maintain its perfect record in this season’s Champions League with a 3-1 victory, sending them top of the table.
Jurrien Timber headed Mikel Arteta’s side in front from a corner after 22 minutes only for Bayern teenager Lennart Karl to equalise in style before half-time.
Arsenal dominated the second half and showed their immense squad depth as substitutes Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli scored the goals to make it five wins from five.
Thursday’s major Champions League results
- Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich
- Atletico Madrid 2-1 Inter Milan
- Liverpool 1-4 PSV Eindhoven
- Olympiakos 3-4 Real Madrid
- PSG 5-3 Tottenham
It proved a quiet return to north London for prolific Bayern striker Harry Kane as his side suffered their first defeat of the season in all competitions.
With Inter Milan dropping points, Arsenal are now the only team in the competition with a maximum 15 points and look all but assured of a place in the last 16.
Six points clear at the top of the Premier League and Bundesliga respectively and boasting flawless records after four games in the Champions League, Arsenal and Bayern Munich have been Europe’s stand-out teams this season.
The sides met in the quarterfinals two years ago with Bayern coming out on top, but Arsenal have moved to another level since that clash and went into Wednesday’s game on a 15-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
With last-16 spots already looking safe for both clubs, the 15th meeting between them lacked jeopardy, but bragging rights and psychological blows were up for grabs.
It was Arsenal who emerged with both, thanks to a win that will reverberate around Europe.
AP/Reuters
