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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a scathing evaluation of the club's disappointing championship campaign, confessing the title holders are in a mess and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether every player is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

The Dutch defender could not contain his frustration after the weekend's heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the Premier League table with a deficit in goals. The club's chair was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that fell apart against a opponent that began the match in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

The captain described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the lead. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“There was a great build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing facts and the truth is we conceded a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said Van Dijk. “We are certainly letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Captain’s Challenge: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk typically addresses the media after a match as part of his role as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – so loud that any player in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, Van Dijk replied: “It's unclear. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I expect the boys to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million to strengthen a title-winning squad in the off-season but have gone backwards, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. Van Dijk maintained that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the new recruits. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for everyone to take responsibility on the pitch. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the effort. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk continued: “This season we don’t have any consistency, we concede far too many goals, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I hope everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to reverse the situation and tempting to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and all contributed, and during a tough time you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and confront the hardship and persist, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my eyes, because Liverpool has been going through many adversity over those years and we’ve always come out of it. But it doesn’t mean it is easy, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a visit to London Stadium next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the European competition. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another game so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to return and analyze how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”