Slot admits to bleak mood as Liverpool's slump deepens with 4-1 defeat

Liverpool slumped to an embarrassing 4-1 Champions League defeat at Anfield by PSV Eindhoven to pile more pressure on Arne Slot, while Arsenal ended Bayern Munich's unbeaten start to the season with a "statement" win on Wednesday.

The pressure on Slot was cranked up a notch after a humbling defeat that was the Reds' ninth in their last 12 games across all competitions, their worst 12-game stretch since the 1953-54 season -- when Winston Churchill was the UK's Prime Minister.

Recommended For You

UAE: Fujairah among 72 cities to join Unesco network of 'Learning Cities'

Middle East investors eye diversification as global trends reshape 2026 outlook

UAE: Meals, deals across the country as festive December begins

Triple drone strikes on Sudan kindergarten, hospital kill dozens

Bridge Summit, Abu Dhabi: Arab actresses call for more women writers to reshape roles

 

"The emotions are very negative and disappointing," Slot said. "I was also hoping and expecting a better performance, because the performance was far from what we are used to, even if we're losing, our performances have been better."

The numbers during the Reds' shambolic run have been shocking. They have lost their last three games across all competitions by three goals, and their home fortress is crumbling, with the team -- and disgruntled fans -- tasting defeat at Anfield already more times than they did all of last season.

"Even when we don't play well, (we are) able to score two goals and create more chances," Slot said. "But you cannot even compete ... because we simply concede too many goals."

Liverpool conceded in just the sixth minute when Virgil van Dijk inexplicably handled the ball while appealing for a foul from a corner, with Ivan Perisic dispatching the resulting penalty into the corner. Slot's struggling side hit back quickly as Dominik Szoboszlai slotted in after visiting goalkeeper Matej Kovar could only parry Cody Gakpo's shot.

PSV came out firing after the interval and restored their lead when Mauro Junior's brilliant pass was steered in expertly by Guus Til. The hosts' latest humiliation, after a 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, was confirmed as Couhaib Driouech twice took advantage of calamitous defending to score late on.

Meanwhile, holders PSG saw off Tottenham in an eight-goal thriller at the Parc des Princes and Kylian Mbappe scored four times in a Champions League match for the first time as Real Madrid beat Olympiacos 4-3.

Premier League leaders Arsenal maintained their 100-percent record in the competition this season by ending Bayern's, taking top spot in the 36-team table from the Bavarians with a 3-1 success.

Bayern fell behind at the Emirates in the 22nd minute when Jurrien Timber flicked Bukayo Saka's corner past a flailing Manuel Neuer.

But 17-year-old Lennart Karl became the first player to score against Arsenal in the Champions League this season, firing home from an excellent volleyed pass by Serge Gnabry.

Noni Madueke put Arsenal back in the lead in the 69th minute, though, before Gabriel Martinelli tapped into an empty net after Neuer raced out of his goal and was beaten to the ball near the halfway line.

"It's an incredible statement, but we know the work we put in," Madueke told TNT Sports. "We go into these games with every confidence that we are going to win."

Vitinha inspires PSG comeback

PSG bounced back from their loss to Bayern earlier this month as Vitinha scored a hat trick in a 5-3 victory over Tottenham.

Spurs, as they did against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup in August, struck first when Richarlison nodded in from close range.

But the home side equalised on the stroke of half-time courtesy of a rasping long-range drive from Vitinha.

PSG fell behind again less than five minutes into the second half as Randal Kolo Muani hammered home a volley to score his first Spurs goal since joining on loan from the Ligue 1 giants.

Luis Enrique's men wasted no time in responding as Vitinha curled in another brilliant strike from the edge of the box, before Fabian Ruiz put them in front for the first time.

Willian Pacho appeared to have put the game to bed, but Kolo Muani drilled in to give Tottenham renewed hope against his parent club.

PSG finally secured the three points through a Vitinha penalty in the 76th minute.

"It is the first time in my career I have scored a hat-trick and even scored two goals in one match, so it is really special," Vitinha told Canal Plus.

Four-goal Mbappe

Mbappe ran riot as Real Madrid moved into fifth place and snapped a three-game winless streak.

Olympiacos grabbed a surprise early lead when Chiquinho finished off a quick passing move with a powerful shot past stand-in Madrid 'keeper Andriy Lunin.

But Mbappe levelled midway through the first half and scored his second just two minutes later, heading in Arda Guler's cross.

He completed his fifth Champions League treble after racing clear on goal.

Mehdi Taremi pulled one back for the Greeks early in the second period but Mbappe quickly restored Real's two-goal advantage.

Olympiacos' Ayoub El Kaabi halved the deficit but the 15-time European champions held on.

Last season's runners-up Inter Milan missed out on the chance to go second in the table as Jose Gimenez's injury-time goal snatched Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win at the Metropolitano.

Atalanta climbed to 10th with an impressive 3-0 triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt, while David Luiz scored as Pafos held Monaco to a 2-2 draw in Cyprus.