Liverpool Football Club is facing its most severe crisis in over seven decades after a humiliating 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven extended their disastrous run of form under manager Arne Slot.
Worst Run in Seventy Years
The heavy loss against PSV on Wednesday evening means Liverpool have now suffered nine defeats in their last twelve matches across both the Premier League and Champions League. This represents the club's poorest sequence of results since the 1953-54 season, plunging Anfield into unprecedented turmoil.
Speaking after the match, a beleaguered Slot addressed his position directly. "I feel I am okay with my position," the Dutchman stated. "I've been feeling safe. I've got a lot of support from above."
Slot's Defence and Boardroom Trust
Despite the alarming collapse in form, Slot insisted he maintains the confidence of Liverpool's hierarchy, though he revealed he hadn't spoken with them immediately following the PSV debacle. "They are helpful to me but they don't phone me every single minute of the day to tell me they trust me," Slot explained. "I feel the trust but I haven't spoken to them after this game."
The manager described the atmosphere at the club as one of collective shock. "The emotions are very negative," he admitted. "I think it is a shock for everyone - for the players, for the journalists, for me. It is very, very unexpected. But we have to face where we are and fight really hard."
Gerrard's Verdict on Liverpool's Collapse
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard offered a sobering assessment of the situation, stopping just short of labelling it a full-blown crisis. "Crisis is a very strong word for players that have delivered for this club and the manager who has delivered for this club," Gerrard commented.
However, the club legend didn't mince words about the performance level. "That (the performance against PSV) is not good enough. There are no excuses for that. I won't use that word (crisis) just yet but you can't deny that this team is struggling massively."
Gerrard highlighted the fundamental issues plaguing the team: "They are on a terrible run, confidence is at an all-time low and they just keep bleeding. They keep conceding goals, they are wide open. And unless the manager can find answers and stability in the team, it is going to continue."
Despite the overwhelming negativity, Slot attempted to find some positives, pointing to periods of the PSV match where he felt the team showed promise. "I want to be positive about the reaction of the players after we went 1-0 down because until half time we played a good game," he said. "The players have so much quality that it cannot continue like this."
The situation may worsen further with striker Hugo Ekitike potentially missing the upcoming match against West Ham due to a back injury sustained during the PSV defeat.
