Liverpool's season plunged to new depths on Wednesday night as PSV Eindhoven delivered a devastating 4-1 Champions League thrashing at Anfield, with Mohamed Salah's defensive deficiencies taking centre stage in the humiliating defeat.
Anfield Humiliation
The Dutch visitors became the latest team to exploit Liverpool's alarming collapse, inflicting a third consecutive three-goal defeat upon Arne Slot's struggling side. The result marks Liverpool's ninth loss in their last twelve matches across all competitions, intensifying the pressure on the under-fire manager.
Wednesday's capitulation saw PSV completely outclass the Reds, with the final scoreline of 4-1 barely capturing the comprehensive nature of their dominance. The defeat leaves Liverpool's European ambitions hanging by a thread and raises serious questions about the team's direction under Slot.
Salah's Defensive Deficiencies Laid Bare
The match featured a particularly telling moment that encapsulated Liverpool's current struggles. With the score level at 1-1 in the 56th minute, PSV midfielder Mauro Junior received the ball out wide, only to be confronted by a half-hearted challenge from Salah.
The Egyptian forward offered minimal resistance as Junior easily bypassed him just yards from where manager Slot watched helplessly on the touchline. Rather than tracking back to recover, Salah stood and watched as the PSV player drove into open space before delivering a perfect through ball that Guus Till converted to make it 2-1.
This defensive lapse didn't go unnoticed, with Liverpool legend Graeme Souness having previously criticised Salah for "showing a lack of appetite" this season. The contrast with his incredible 2024/25 campaign, where he contributed 34 goals and 23 assists, has become increasingly stark.
Growing Criticism and Calls for Change
The scrutiny on Salah has intensified recently, with former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney suggesting that Slot should drop the Egyptian star to send a message about his unacceptable work rate. However, the manager has shown little inclination toward such drastic action.
Salah has started all 12 of Liverpool's Premier League games this season and three of their five Champions League matches, registering five goals and three assists in the process. His attacking output, while diminished from previous seasons, remains valuable to a struggling side.
Speaking after the match, Jamie Carragher delivered a blunt assessment, suggesting Salah's "legs had gone" while calling on other players to step up now that previously reliable stars like Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson were no longer performing at their peak levels.
Player Reaction and What Comes Next
The mood within the camp appears tense, with midfielder Curtis Jones delivering a passionate post-match interview calling for greater commitment from his teammates. "Just tackle someone, be a dog out there," Jones told CBS. "It's not always about lads being nice on the ball and we play and play and play. Just go and smash someone."
The situation is complicated by Salah's imminent departure for next month's Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. With matches coming thick and fast during the busy festive period, Slot faces a critical decision about whether to persist with his star forward or take him out of the firing line in the coming weeks.
As Liverpool's crisis deepens, the sight of Slot standing silently on the touchline while his team collapsed spoke volumes about the scale of the challenge facing the Dutch manager. With defensive frailties exposed and key players underperforming, the road to recovery appears increasingly difficult for the once-dominant Reds.
