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A rematch of their sole loss in last year’s Champions League group stage, Liverpool hosted PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
Arne Slot made two changes to the side that lost to Nottingham Forest, as Giorgi Mamardashvili and Hugo Ekitiké replaced Alisson Becker and Alexander Isak. This saw them return to a 4-2-3-1 formation, as Curtis Jones moved to right-back and Dominik Szoboszlai returned to his attacking midfield role.
Peter Bosz kept with the same eleven that has started PSV’s last five matches, setting up in a 4-4-2 shape.
Liverpool managed just four minutes without a catastrophic error, as Virgil van Dijk gave away a penalty for handball at a corner, which Ivan Perisic converted.
PSV were defending in a 4-4-2 shape, with the forwards blocking the passes into the Liverpool midfielders but also looking to stop the Liverpool centre-backs, while the PSV midfielders would step up to get tight behind them.
This initially seemed to have Liverpool flummoxed, simply standing still with the ball, but they eventually began to wake up.
Ryan Gravenberch was a big part of this, dropping back into the defensive line, or pulling out to the flanks. This movement not only saw him show for the ball, but also opened up space for a teammate to drop into, disrupting PSV’s shape, and so Liverpool began to be able to play forward.
PSV were also struggling to play out if they faced even the mildest pressure, so it didn’t take Liverpool long to get back on level terms. PSV gave the ball away, and Liverpool sent it wide for Cody Gakpo. Sergiño Dest was tricked by him pretending to go down the outside, enabling to do his usual trick of cutting inside to shoot. Matej Kovar parried it straight to Szoboszlai to equalise.
Liverpool now looked in control, moving the ball around quickly. Ekitiké posed a threat a few times, dropping off to receive the ball, then attacking the space opened up by him pulling his marker forward.
Meanwhile PSV were giving the ball away any time they were put under pressure.
Liverpool’s control continued into the early stages of the second half, however PSV were looking much better in possession after half-time. This greater calm seemed to just come from them using the goalkeeper more. It was nothing complicated, but rather than panicking and giving the ball away, they would pass back to Kovar, giving them a moment to pause and settle down. This would also cause Liverpool’s frontline to push up, leaving space behind them for PSV to exploit.
This greater calm was shown as they retook the lead ten minutes into the half. They had the ball down the right, and slowly passed it across to the left, encouraging Liverpool to press. Mauro Junior dribbled past Mohamed Salah, who did little to catch up to him, and as Gravenberch had been drawn forward towards Joey Veerman, the Brazilian was left completely free to advance, picking out a pass in behind for Guus Til to run onto, poking it into the net as Milos Kerkez failed to get goalside.
Liverpool went back on the attack as PSV sat back to defend their lead, but it was the Dutch side that soon had the ball in the net again. Ibrahima Konaté completely missed the ball, allowing Ricardo Pepi to get in behind, and although his shot cannoned back off the post, it fell to Couhaib Driouech to finish, as Jones had made no effort to track back.
Liverpool would once again bring on attackers and push men forward, but this did little to help. PSV caught them on the counter-attack in injury time, no Liverpool player getting anywhere near PSV’s as they rushed forward, allowing Pepi to easily get in behind the Liverpool backline, and pull the ball back for Driouech to finish.
Liverpool started the season winning despite poor performances, and then they began to narrowly lose those matches, but now they are being convincingly beaten by poor sides. With each passing game, it’s getting harder and harder to see how Slot turns this around.
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