Arne Slot pressure intensifies after latest Liverpool meltdown as great offers radical solution to Reds woes

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is under increasing pressure to keep his job as a miserable season hit another low on Thursday (AEDT).

The star-studded Reds slumped to an awful 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, their first loss in their last 14 games at Anfield in the group stage of Europe's elite competition.

Couhaib Driouech bagged a double, while Ivan Perisic - from the penalty spot - and Guus Til also scored as PSV climbed to 14th in the Champions League table with eight points.

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Liverpool, who have lost nine of their last 12 games across all competitions, dropped to 12th on nine points.

The Reds got off to the worst possible start when a bizarre handball from captain Virgil van Dijk led to a PSV penalty in the sixth minute, with Perisic sending Giorgi Mamardashvili the wrong way and slotting home.

Dominik Szoboszlai tapped in a leveller in the 16th minute after keeper Matej Kovar saved Cody Gakpo's shot but palmed the ball into the path of the Hungarian.

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Til restored PSV's lead in the 56th minute with a perfectly timed run on to Mauro Junior's through ball and just ahead of Milos Kerkez to poke it into the net past Mamardashvili.

Driouech gave PSV a two goal cushion in the 73rd after Ricardo Pepi launched a shot off the post and Driouech stroked in the rebound.

Driouech completed his double in injury time when he easily tapped home a cross from Sergino Dest.

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Defending Premier League champions Liverpool are also a lowly 12th in the league this season.

"It's hard because I'm playing for the team I support. I'm a fan, and I've seen this club all my life," Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones said.

"In a long, long time, I haven't experienced a Liverpool team going through a period like this with results like these.

"But at the end of the day, we still have that badge on our chest. And until that badge is gone, we're always going to fight. We're going to try and get this team back to where it needs to be, show everyone again what this club is about and why people call it the best team in the world. But right now, we're in the s--- and it needs to change."

Former Premier League champion Mark Bosnich suggested the club should make a bold play to lure star fullback Trent Alexander-Arnold back from Real Madrid in the January transfer window.

"Liverpool should rectify in January… get him back," Bosnich said on Stan Sport's Added Time.

"If he doesn't win the Champions League or they don't qualify… I think he'll (Slot) be gone."

Also speaking before the PSV loss, Craig Foster believed Slot was on slightly more solid ground after.

"I'm not sure Slot admitting everything that went wrong after each game is working in his favour," Foster said.

"My feeling is with Liverpool they have more patience and long-term strategy with Slot."

The Reds looked nothing like the team who roared to the Premier League title last season and countless disgruntled fans had left before the final whistle sounded on another loss, with Liverpool already losing more games at Anfield this season than they did during the entire 2024-2025 campaign.

It was the third successive game the Reds had lost by three goals amid Liverpool's worst run of play since a similarly dreadful stretch during the 1953-54 season.

Elsewhere, Arsenal beat Bayern Munich for the first time in a decade to maintain their 100 per cent record with a 3-1 victory sending them top of the group.

Jurrien Timber headed Mikel Arteta's side in front from a corner after 22 minutes only for Bayern teenager Lennart Karl to equalise in style before halftime.

Arsenal dominated the second half though and showed their immense squad depth as substitutes Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli scored the goals to make it five wins from five.

Holders Paris St Germain showed a never-say-die attitude as they twice came from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur 5-3, with two moments of brilliance from Vitinha steering Luis Enrique's side to victory.

PSG looked fragile at the back, conceding twice from defensive lapses and showing some of the same issues that contributed to their 2-1 defeat by Bayern in the previous round, but they responded with greater control and efficiency to turn the match around at the Parc des Princes.

Vitinha bagged a hat-trick with two fine strikes and a penalty, while Pacho and Fabian Ruiz also scored for PSG, who were made to work after Tottenham twice led through Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, the France forward finishing with a double.

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe scored four goals, including the second fastest hat-trick in Champions League history, to earn a 4-3 comeback victory over hosts Olympiacos.

Mbappe's first three goals came in a spell of six minutes and 42 seconds in the first half but it was a tough encounter for the Spaniards before they earned their first victory at Olympiacos on their fifth attempt, and ended a three game run across all competitions without a win.

Real moved up to fifth place in the standings on 12 points, with the top eight earning automatic qualification for the knockout stage and with three matchdays remaining.