Liverpool Crisis Deepens as Van Dijk, Konate and Error-Prone Teammate Leave Arne Slot Under Intense Pressure
Liverpool’s recent match, marred by a questionable handball decision that sparked initial grievances from a player, culminated in a significant loss – their third in a row by a three-goal difference, a dismal streak unseen in decades.
This poor performance raises serious concerns about the future of the relatively new manager.
Prior to the game, a senior player emphasized the importance of fundamental principles for the team to overcome their struggles following a string of disappointing league results.
However, the same player then ironically undermined those very principles in a comical manner, seemingly accelerating the manager’s potential departure from the club.
Only a few minutes into the match, Van Dijk appeared to channel his inner Michael Jordan with a move reminiscent of the basketball legend’s famous logo, but in a rather unexpected setting – his own penalty area during a football game.
Objecting to what seemed like a minor contact, he theatrically raised his arm while airborne and blatantly handled the ball.
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This left the referee with little choice but to award a penalty kick to the opposition. Ivan Perisic then successfully converted the penalty, putting PSV ahead early in the game at Anfield.
Virgil van Dijk has conceded three penalties across all tournaments this year, putting him at the top of the list for Premier League players.
While new players and the manager, Slot, are facing scrutiny, it could be argued that the experienced Liverpool captain is inadvertently contributing the most to potentially costing the Reds manager his job. As Van Dijk himself stated, “It all starts with the basics.”
The Liverpool skipper also seemed sluggish and slow during PSV’s fourth (or possibly another) goal at Anfield, failing to keep up with Sergino Dest.
He also didn’t make a significant effort to stop their third goal, although the defense was left vulnerable due to the widespread criticism of another player.
Ibrahima Konate’s dramatic drop in form this season is both puzzling and worrying. His awkward attempt to intercept the ball, leading to Couhaib Driouech scoring, was arguably his lowest point in what may be a deeply difficult season for a footballer after winning a title.
It’s remarkable to witness how he’s seemingly determined to tarnish his Liverpool legacy and dissuade Real Madrid from signing him as a free agent this summer.
At least he’s had a notable tenure with Liverpool, unlike Milos Kerkez. Kerkez’s lackluster performance received harsh criticism from Steven Gerrard on TNT Sports, who pointed out how Guus Til easily moved past him, right in front of the left-back, to score for PSV.
Gerrard stated that Kerkez was frequently misplaced throughout the match, calling it “criminal” that he allowed the attacker to get on the wrong side of him, insisting he needed to be in a better position.
Liverpool’s recent form is abysmal, having lost nine out of their last twelve matches across all competitions.
This level of failure hasn’t been seen in such a short period since late 1953 and early 1954. Regardless of any goodwill the manager has accumulated, this is simply not acceptable, especially a heavy 4-1 defeat at Anfield to PSV Eindhoven.
