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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt evaluation of the club's disappointing championship campaign, confessing the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether all squad members is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that unravelled against a Forest side that started the day in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk labeled Liverpool’s start to the second half as “not good enough” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“We had a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with facts and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” said the defender. “As a team, we're definitely letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this mess because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the press after a match as part of his duties as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – audible enough that any player in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while urging the squad to react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether this is occurring, he replied: “It's unclear. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I expect the players to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

Liverpool invested almost £450m to strengthen a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the recent additions. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to be answerable on the pitch. We have to do that in order to push each other, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the press. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman continued: “This season we don’t have any consistency, we allow excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to accept duty to reverse the situation and it is easy to assign blame but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and all contributed, and during a tough time you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“You have to be a man and confront the hardship and go again, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my eyes, because this club has been enduring many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s tiring but there is no other way.”

Next Fixtures

Next up in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the European competition. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? Certainly not, I'll go home and analyze how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”