Liverpool make unwanted history by breaking 71-year-old record in dire Champions League defeat to PSV as wretched run continues

Not many would have thought Liverpool could follow up their 3-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest with a 4-1 defeat at Anfield to PSV, but they did on Wednesday night. The Reds seem a million miles away from the side that romped to the Premier League title last season, something that is all the more remarkable as they have spent more than £400 million on players this summer. After the game, manager Arne Slot said he is not doubting his players but that cannot be said for himself.

He told beIN Sports: "I'm not questioning the players, because I know that we have very good players. Their mentality after us going 1-0 down was also what I was hoping for, but also what you have to expect if you are a Liverpool player. So it's something normal for me that you're questioning your line-ups, you're questioning your tactics, you're questioning the substitutions you make, but that's also what you do if you don't lose every single time. But it's normal for me to question the choices I make, because I've said many times that I'm responsible for this situation. But the players have so much quality that this cannot continue like this. And I think again today, especially the first half, we showed how many chances we can create, but it's not for the first time this season that we don't score them." 

According to OptaJoe, Liverpool have now lost nine of their last 12 games across all competitions - their most defeats over a 12-match spell since November 1953 to January 1954 (nine). Moreover, the Reds have now lost three consecutive games in all competitions by a margin of three or more goals for the first time since December 1953.

Slot also told TNT Sports: "The emotions are very negative and disappointing. The way we conceded the 1-0. I want to be positive about the reaction of the players when we went 1-0 down. We came back into the game and had chances to go 2-1 up. I don't think anyone thought we would lose 4-1."

While things are almost unimaginably bleak for Liverpool right now, club legend Steven Gerrard does not think the club are in a "crisis". But he did say that confidence amongst the team will be at an "all-time low". 

He said on TNT Sports: "Crisis is a very strong word and disrespectful to some of the players that have delivered for this football club, and for the manager that's delivered three months ago. If this was six months down the line, a year down the line and we're further away from that success, maybe you can use that word. But you can't deny the team is struggling massively, they're on a terrible run, confidence is at an all-time low and they just keep bleeding. Unless the managers can find answers and stability in the team it's going to continue."

Questions have also been asked about Mohamed Salah's place in the team after an unusually slow start to the season for the Egypt international. Amid calls for Slot to drop the 33-year-old, Gerrard says he can see why the Dutchman sticks by him.

The ex-Rangers manager added: "They're in a real difficult moment. Whoever is managing Liverpool right now would pick Mo Salah. Liverpool need all the good players on the pitch to try and find some stability. They're conceding too many goals, they're wide open in transition. Look very vulnerable and unstable soon as the ball turns over. Anfield tells a story, the seats were empty with 10 minutes to go, as soon as the third goal went in the game was over. Liverpool's problems become deeper, the pressure intensifies even more. There needs to be a lot of soul searching tonight for sure."

After this demoralising loss, Liverpool travel to lowly West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday. Not many would be surprised by a defeat in east London this weekend.