SLOT MACHINE NOT PAYING!

Kop stars still look bereft at the back as Bees plunder a stylish win to leave champs outside the top four

- BY STEVE JUDGE

THIS is a full blown crisis for Arne Slot and his frail champions.

Liverpool's grip on the title is being loosened at a rapid rate as they fell to a shocking fourth straight Premier League defeat.

Slot's sad lot never recovered from Dango Ouattara volleying in from Michael Kayode's monstrous long throw after just five minutes. Kevin Schade added a second in the 45th minute before Milos Kerkez's first goal for Liverpool gave them hope on the stroke of halftime.

VAR Chris Kavanagh controversially awarded the Bees a 60th-minute penalty, having denied Cody Gakpo one in the first half.

Igor Thiago converted for his seventh goal of the season to give boss Keith Andrews back-to-back wins for the first time.