In-depth Analysis
Liverpool have suffered back-to-back 0-3 defeats against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest, putting manager Arne Slot under immense pressure. If it weren’t for Slot leading Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, the club’s board might have seriously considered his dismissal.
Although he remains in charge of the “Reds,” Slot’s reputation has clearly taken a hit as Liverpool failed to earn points in 8 of the last 9 Premier League matches. Even after spending heavily on new signings like Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, and Alexander Isak, the team still struggles in the lower half of the league table.
The main issues lie in the new players’ difficulty adapting, alongside Luis Diaz’s departure to Bayern and Mohamed Salah’s dip in form. However, Liverpool has shown a much brighter side in the Champions League, winning 3 of their first 4 matches against Atletico Madrid (3-2), Eintracht Frankfurt (5-1), and Real Madrid (1-0).
With such strong European performances, Liverpool can be confident hosting PSV, despite the Dutch side’s good form (7 wins in their last 9 games). History also favors the Reds: Liverpool are unbeaten in all 9 home matches against Dutch teams and have consistently won at Anfield in the group stages of European competitions since 2007. This makes Anfield a solid fortress, meaning PSV’s upcoming trip will not be easy.