The China Mail - Liverpool misery deepens in dismal PSV rout

Arne Slot's side trailed to Ivan Perisic's early penalty and Dominik Szoboszlai's equaliser did nothing to galvanise the Reds.

Second-half goals from Guus Til and Couhaib Driouech, who netted twice, condemned the woeful Premier League champions to a ninth defeat in their last 12 matches in all competitions.

It is Liverpool's worst run since 1953-54 as pressure mounts on the beleaguered Slot, with jeers from angry fans greeting the final whistle.

Beaten 3-0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield last weekend, Liverpool have lost three successive games, conceding 10 goals in the process.

The Reds, losers in six of their last seven Premier League matches, were expected to dominate on all fronts this term after following last season's title triumph with a summer spending spree.

But Liverpool head to West Ham on Sunday languishing in 12th place in the Premier League -- the first time in more than a decade they have been in the bottom half of the table.

With their title hopes in tatters, Liverpool can't be certain of reaching the Champions League last 16 either after a second defeat in five games in the tournament.

It was their first home defeat in the opening phase of the Champions League in five years.

The Reds are in 13th place in the league phase, with the top eight automatically qualifying for the last 16.

Slot admitted on Tuesday that he feels "guilty" over Liverpool's "ridiculous" slump.

But the Dutchman appears to have no answers to Liverpool's crisis and the sight of empty red seats all around the stadium in the closing stages provided a damning verdict on their stunning decline.

- Fragile Liverpool -

Slot left British record signing Alexander Isak on the bench after his latest scoreless outing last weekend.

It made no difference as Liverpool became the first English side to lose at home to PSV since 2008.

Liverpool lacked intensity, lost too many individual duels, struggled to break down opponents in a low block and were repeatedly caught on the counter.

Virgil van Dijk had called for Liverpool's players to take individual responsibility, but the Reds captain was culpable as PSV took the lead in the sixth minute.

Instead of heading clear from a PSV corner, Van Dijk needlessly raised his arm to block the ball.

Van Dijk claimed he was being fouled when he blocked the set-piece but his protests were in vain as Perisic converted the penalty in front of a stunned Kop.

Liverpool took just 10 minutes to get back on level terms this time.

Cody Gakpo's run into the PSV area climaxed with a shot that was parried by Matej Kovar and Szoboszlai pounced to guide a first-time finish into the empty net from 12 yards.

Van Dijk nearly made amends for his earlier blunder when he glanced a header against the bar from Mohamed Salah's corner.

Kovar plunged to his left to keep out Hugo Ekitike's close-range strike to conclude the first half.

But Liverpool's pressure failed to produce a second goal and their defensive frailties were punished in the 56th minute.

Mauro Junior's sublime pass left Milos Kerkez trailing behind Til as he fired a fine finish past Giorgi Mamardashvili from 12 yards.

Gakpo added to Slot's frustration, heading woefully over when he should have equalised from Szoboszlai's cross.

Liverpool's misery was compounded in farcical fashion in the 73rd minute.

Ibrahima Konate made a complete hash of a pass inside his own half, allowing Ricardo Pepi to race clear for a shot that cannoned back off the post to Driouech, who gleefully slotted home.

Slot stood watching in disbelief in stoppage time when Sergino Dest was allowed to gallop clear and cross to Driouech for a clinical finish.

J.Thompson--ThChM