A battered and bruised Liverpool return to UEFA Champions League action desperately seeking relief from a nightmare start to their Premier League title defence. Their 3–0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend not only delivered back-to-back league losses by a 3+ goal margin for the first time since 1965, it also intensified the pressure on manager Arne Slot after a massive summer overhaul, Softfootball reports.
Liverpool sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table, frustration is building, and confidence continues to slip with each passing fixture. Yet the Champions League has been their one remaining sanctuary this season, a competition where they stand firmly in the race for a top-eight finish .
Their last European outing brought a much-needed boost, as the Reds edged Real Madrid 1–0 at Anfield to reignite belief. With a 13-match winning streak in UCL home league-phase games on the line, Liverpool hope Europe can once again rescue their season’s spirit.
But nothing is guaranteed for Slot’s men, especially with performances deteriorating and key injuries affecting squad balance. Liverpool have shown flashes of resilience at Anfield in Europe, particularly in their wins over Real and Atlético Madrid, but consistency has eluded them domestically.
The expectation from supporters is clear, the UCL must not become another stumbling block. With frustration mounting, this fixture offers both risk and redemption, and the Reds cannot afford anything less than a strong response.
PSV arrive at Anfield in exceptional form and with absolutely nothing to fear. The Dutch giants are unbeaten in their last 15 away matches in all competitions and continue to evolve into one of Europe’s most resilient sides on the road. They enter this clash having won eight of their last 11 outings, including a gritty 1–0 win away at NAC Breda over the weekend.
Their UCL campaign has also shown promise, as they remain unbeaten away from home in this year’s competition. With just three defeats from their last 17 UCL league-phase matches, PSV travel to Merseyside with both confidence and momentum, fully believing they can trouble a vulnerable Liverpool side.
Their recent European history against the Reds provides its own spark. PSV defeated Liverpool 3–2 in the UCL league phase last season their only win in the fixture’s history and they’ll look to draw strength from that performance, even though they’ve managed just one victory in their last 14 European away games against English sides.
Peter Bosz’s side thrive on intensity, pace, and creative vertical football, and their recent attacking numbers in the UCL remain strong, their last ten Champions League games have seen both teams score, and they’ve found the net in 16 of their last 17 group-stage fixtures. Against a Liverpool side showing defensive fragility, PSV will surely smell blood.
Team News
Liverpool remain without big-money summer signings Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, both of whom headline a growing injury list. Cody Gakpo signed from PSV is available, though all four of his goals this season have arrived after half-time. Arne Slot will once again rely on Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez and Dominik Szoboszlai to inject urgency into their attack, while Virgil van Dijk anchors a defence that has come under scrutiny following successive heavy defeats.
Liverpool manager Arne slot and former psv player Cody Gakpo spoke to the press in the pre match conference ahead of the game against PSV tomorrow, which was shared via the team’s official YouTube page. Both the Manager and the player spoke on the importance of this game and how it would help Liverpool regain their confidence and momentum as the season goes on. Watch the press conference below:
PSV continue to miss Ruben van Bommel, whose absence has forced tactical tweaks in attack. However, American striker Ricardo Pepi has helped soften that blow, contributing to five goals across his last four Champions League appearances, including scoring against Liverpool last season. With Pepi’s late-game efficiency both of his last two UCL goals came after the 85th minute PSV possess a dangerous threat if the match becomes stretched.
Possible Lineups
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Ekitike, Gakpo
PSV possible starting lineup:
Kovar; Dest, Gasiorowski, Schouten, Salah-Eddine; Junior, Veerman; Man, Saibari, Perisic; Til
SoftFootball Prediction
Liverpool’s Champions League form paints a very different picture from their domestic struggles, and Anfield on European nights often provides its own energy source. Their 13-match winning streak in UCL home league-phase fixtures, combined with the confidence gained from beating Real Madrid 1–0 last time out, suggests they will not collapse easily.
But PSV are a far more dangerous opponent than their underdog tag implies. Their 15-match unbeaten away run and relentless attacking rhythm will pose real problems for an unstable Liverpool defence. Expect Liverpool to respond with urgency, but PSV’s form and fearlessness should ensure this is a tight, high-energy battle.
Prediction: Liverpool 2–2 PSV
