Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool’s torrid 2025-26 season has reached new depths following their 4-1 humiliation at the hands of PSV Eindhoven at Anfield on Wednesday night.
The defeat, their third consecutive loss by three goals or more, has left the club on their worst run of form in over 70 years and intensified pressure on manager Arne Slot.
The result means Liverpool have now suffered nine defeats in their last twelve matches across all competitions, a streak not seen since the 1953-54 season — the last campaign in which the club was relegated.
Supporters streamed out of Anfield as PSV netted their third goal, with a smattering of boos heard at full-time before being drowned out by defiant chants of “We Love You Liverpool” from the Kop.
Just six minutes into the affair, captain Virgil van Dijk—who endured perhaps the most difficult 90 minutes of his Liverpool career—inexplicably handled a corner in the box as he rose to a contest a header
Veteran winger Ivan Perisic stepped up to convert the penalty.
And now his compatriot in PSV midfielder Jerdy Schouten admitted post-match that he gave Van Dijk a “little shove” when he was going up to contest the corner:
“If you look at the goals we scored, we also created the biggest chances,” said Schouten via Voetbal International.
“We came out of the dressing room very strong in the first half. After the 0-1 we lost some grip, but without the feeling that they would come a lot one-on-one with our goalkeeper. We knew what we were doing.”
“I gave him a very small push,” Schouten said of the penalty. “But if you’re as big as Virgil, you have to be able to handle that, right?”
“This is abnormal, really. Goose bumps. I am so proud. Of course they often had the ball, but we defended so well. We should be really proud of that.”
Liverpool, who sit 12th in the Premier League and have dropped to 13th in the Champions League standings, face a daunting trip to West Ham on Sunday.
Slot may also be without striker Hugo Ekitike, who was substituted with a back injury during the PSV defeat.
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