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Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt assessment of the club's disappointing championship campaign, admitting the reigning champions are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the team’s slump.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his frustration after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth setback in 11 matches across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a opponent that began the match in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

The captain labeled Liverpool’s start to the second half as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“There was a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are dealing with facts and the facts are we gave away a set piece in the opening period and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” said the defender. “We are certainly failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the present time it is a mess – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the media after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. This time was distinct, however. He spoke was much louder – so loud that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to react. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that each individual has to be accountable.” When questioned whether this is occurring, Van Dijk answered: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I expect the players to do. It's challenging during difficult times but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

Liverpool spent almost £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the off-season but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. Van Dijk maintained that Liverpool’s issues extend past the recent additions. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for everyone to take responsibility on the pitch. We have to do that in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk continued: “This season we don’t have any steady form, we allow excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. We have to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to point fingers but unity is essential. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and during a tough time you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and face the toughness and go again, again and again because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my view, because Liverpool has been enduring numerous challenges over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean it is easy, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

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. He commented: “The next game is another opportunity so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? No, I'll go home and analyze how we can improve results and I trust that is the collective focus as well.”