Slot in 'shock' and facing full-blown crisis at Liverpool after thrashing by PSV in Champions League

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Arne Slot was facing a full-blown crisis at Liverpool on Wednesday after the beleaguered English champion lost by a three-goal margin for the third straight game and plunged into its worst run of form in more than 70 years.

PSV Eindhoven pulled away for a 4-1 win at Anfield in the Champions League to leave Liverpool with nine defeats in its last 12 games, a scarcely believable streak for a team that cruised to the Premier League title a matter of months ago and then spent $570 million on new players in the summer transfer window.

“This is a shock. This is very, very unexpected,” said Slot, whose position is coming under increasing scrutiny.

The Dutchman said it was inevitable there would be speculation over his future, given the run of results.

“If any manager around the world loses football games, let alone as many as we have lost, it's quite normal people have an opinion about that. If it's fair or unfair, it's for other people to judge. Is that normal? I think it is. If you lose so many times, people start talking about that.”

The last time Liverpool lost nine games in a 12-game streak in all competitions was in the 1953-54 season, stats company Opta said.

The Reds were coming off 3-0 losses in the Premier League at Manchester City before the international break and then at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Liverpool also lost 3-0 at Anfield to Crystal Palace in the English League Cup last month.

“This used to be a place where you hated to come, with the fans, with us, how we played. How we pressed, we were absolute dogs and then we have the ball and play,” Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones said. “Now, we hardly even play. There's times when we do play but off-the-ball stuff, that's the stuff that has to change.”

Defensive blunders have been largely to blame for Liverpool's issues and they were more against PSV, the Dutch champion and current Eredivisie leader that has already beaten Napoli 6-2 in the Champions League this season.

Firstly, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk’s raised his arm at a corner and handled the ball to give away a penalty, converted by 36-year-old Ivan Perisic for the opener. Van Dijk complained a push in his back threw him off-balance but his appeals were ignored.

Dominik Szoboszlai equalized 10 minutes later but after Guus Til regained the lead for PSV, Liverpool center back Ibrahima Konate — a target for criticism from fans and pundits alike in recent months — missed the ball completely to let the visitors in on goal again.

U.S. forward Ricardo Pepi shot against the post and Couhaib Driouech was there to convert the rebound. Minutes later, Konate was taken off.

Liverpool was bedraggled and Driouech added a fourth in stoppage time to complete the humiliation.

“We just have to face what we are in and fight really hard,” Slot said.

Liverpool sits 13th in the 36-team Champions League standings and is in 12th place in the 20-team Premier League.

Adding to Slot's problems was an apparent back injury to striker Hugo Ekitike, who was forced off in the 61st minute.

Liverpool currently only has five senior defenders available and one of them, Joe Gomez, was not brought off the bench because he has a nagging knee issue.

First-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker didn't feature, either, reportedly because of illness.

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Liverpool's manager Arne Slot waits for the start of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and PSV in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister, right, reacts after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and PSV in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

PSV's Couhaib Driouech, right, celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and PSV in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

From left: Liverpool's Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister react after PSV's Couhaib Driouech scored his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and PSV in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Liverpool and PSV in Liverpool, England, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The U.S. military conducted a rapid response exercise involving Marines and military aircraft in Venezuela’s capital Saturday, over four months after the ouster of then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft, which have characteristics of both a helicopter and a fixed-wing airplane, flew over the recently reopened U.S. Embassy in Caracas. They landed in the parking lot with the downdraft blowing tree branches. Forces then descended from the aircraft.

“Ensuring the military’s rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world,” the embassy said on Instagram.

Venezuela’s government had announced the drill earlier this week. Foreign Minister Yván Gil said the U.S. would conduct the exercise to prepare “in the event of medical emergencies or catastrophic emergencies.”

The drill comes almost two months after the U.S. formally reopened its embassy in Caracas. The reopening followed the restoration of full diplomatic relations with the South American country after Maduro 's ouster in early January.

Some Caracas residents Saturday gathered near the embassy to watch the aircraft, while a few dozen others gathered elsewhere in the city to protest the exercise. Protesters held a Venezuelan flag with the message “No to the Yankee drill” written over it.

U.S. military aircraft last flew over Caracas on Jan. 3, when elite forces rappelled down from helicopters and captured Maduro and his wife. Both were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges. They have pleaded not guilty.

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

A soldier looks down from a military aircraft as the U.S. Embassy holds an emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

U.S. Embassy holds emergency and air evacuation drill in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)