What may have looked like a wobble for Liverpool’s Arne Slott appears to have turned into a full-blown crisis, with the beleaguered English champions suffering a heavy defeat in their third consecutive game on Wednesday.
Liverpool have now lost nine of their last 12 games after PSV Eindhoven left Anfield with a 4-1 win in the Champions League. The Reds had lost 3-0 in the Premier League to Manchester City before the international break and to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
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Slott was under increasing pressure and defensive lapses again led to the team’s defeat against PSV, an unlikely scenario considering Liverpool were on their way to winning the Premier League a few months ago.
First, Virgil van Dijk’s raised hand touched the ball in the corner and a penalty was awarded, which 36-year-old Ivan Perisic converted to give the Dutch champions the lead.
Dominik Szoboszlai equalized 10 minutes later, but as Guus Till restored PSV’s lead, Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate, who has been the subject of criticism from fans and pundits alike in recent months, completely missed the ball and forced the visitors into goal once again.
American forward Ricardo Pepi hit a shot that hit the post, and Kuhaib Drihues converted the rebound.
Driwes added a fourth goal in stoppage time to complete the humiliation.
Arsenal beat Bayern to take first place in UCL league stage
Arsenal defeated Bayern Munich for the first time in 10 years, maintaining their 100 per cent record in this season’s Champions League with 3-1 and taking the lead in their group.
Mikel Arteta’s side had Julian Timber head home from a corner kick in the 22nd minute, but Bayern teenager Lennart Karl neatly equalized just before half-time.
However, Arsenal dominated in the second half, with substitutes Noni Maduke and Gabriel Martinelli scoring goals to make it five wins from five, showing the team’s immense depth.
It was a quiet return to north London for Bayern’s versatile striker Harry Kane, who suffered his side’s first defeat of the season in all competitions.
With Inter Milan dropping points, Arsenal are now the only team with a maximum of 15 points in the competition and are all but certain to progress to the last 16.
With six points each at the top of the Premier League and Bundesliga, and perfect records after four Champions League games, Arsenal and Bayern Munich have been the standout teams in Europe this season.
The two teams met in the quarter-finals two years ago, with Bayern coming out on top, but Arsenal have progressed to a new level since that meeting, going into Wednesday’s match unbeaten in 15 games in all competitions.
It was already certain that both clubs would advance to the last 16, so there was no sense of danger in their 15th meeting, but the aim was for bragging rights and a psychological blow.
Thanks to a victory that resonated across Europe, Arsenal emerged as having both.
Bayern, backed by a vocal traveling squad, looked confident early on but were stunned by Arsenal in the 22nd minute with what has become their trademark, devastatingly simple goal.
Bukayo Saka swung away from a corner kick, Miles Lewis-Skelly nudged Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and Timber stood up to head his shot into the net.
However, the lead only lasted 10 minutes, as Bayern counterattacked with another move straight off the training ground.
After a long pass, Joshua Kimmich’s collected pass found Michael Oliseh, who volleyed the ball across the face of goal and was met by 17-year-old Karl. Karl became the first player to score against Arsenal in the Champions League this season.
While Kane was mainly on the periphery, Karl was impressive and probably darted into the area early in the second half, but fired a shot directly at goalkeeper David Raya and probably should have scored again.
From then on, Arsenal took control.
Mikel Merino headed close to goal, Declan Rice’s corner kick went just wide, but Cristian Mosquera’s shot was denied by Neuer and the midfielder’s onslaught was saved by the keeper from Rice.
However, Bayern’s defense was shaky and Arsenal’s pressure paid off in the 69th minute when Riccardo Calafioli crossed from the left and fellow substitute Madueke connected with him for his first goal for the club.
Neuer rushed towards the goal eight minutes later in an attempt to cut off Eberechi Eze’s pass, but was unable to get close to the ball, leaving Martinelli with the simple task of firing a shot into an empty net.
Mbappé scores all four goals as Real Madrid avoid Olympiacos scare
Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé scored four goals in just eight minutes, including the second-fastest hat-trick in Champions League history, as Real Madrid’s striker secured a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over hosts Olympiakos.
Mbappé beat two defenders to score in the 22nd minute off an assist from Vinicius Junior, erasing Chiquinho’s eight-minute lead. Two minutes later the French forward completed his hat-trick with another fine finish, heading in Arda Güler’s cross before the Greek recovered from his double.
The Spaniards had a strong first half with a goal from Aurélien Tchoameny, but the hosts reduced the deficit seven minutes after the restart with Mehdi Taremi’s close-range header, and Mbappé’s tap-in from Vinicius Junior’s assist briefly restored order.
Olympiakos scored again in the 81st minute with an Ayub El Kaabi header, but despite intense pressure in the closing stages, they were unable to add to their lead, ending Real’s three-game winless streak in all competitions.
Real have moved up to fifth place in the league phase table with 12 points after five games, with the top eight teams automatically qualifying for the knockout stage with three matches remaining. Olympiacos are in 33rd place with two points.
UCL holder PSG has been appointed by Tottenham.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain showed their tenacity as they twice came from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, winning 5-3, with two moments of brilliance from Vicinha helping Luis Enrique’s side to victory.
PSG conceded twice due to defensive lapses and looked vulnerable at the back, exhibiting some of the same problems that caused them to lose 2-1 to Bayern Munich last week, but they responded with greater control and efficiency and turned the game around at the Parc des Princes.
Vicinha completed his hat-trick with two fine strikes and a penalty, while Pacho and Fabian Ruiz also scored for PSG, with Tottenham twice taking the lead with goals from Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, and the French forward was brought into action after scoring twice.
PSG, who finished with 10 men after Lucas Hernández was sent off in stoppage time, achieved four wins from five games and are second in the league standings, aiming to advance directly to the last 16, while Tottenham are in 16th place with eight points.
