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Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt assessment of the club's woeful championship campaign, admitting the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether every player is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his anger 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 negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across all competitions, and a display that fell apart against a Forest side that started the day in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk labeled Liverpool’s start to the second half as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the lead. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“There was a great build-up to the match but in a fixture you are dealing with facts and the truth is we gave away a set piece in the opening period and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” stated the defender. “As a team, we're certainly letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

Van Dijk typically addresses the media after a match as part of his role as team leader. This time was distinct, however. His voice was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he shook with anger while challenging the dressing room to respond. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that each individual has to be accountable.” When questioned whether that is happening, Van Dijk replied: “It's unclear. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I want the players to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club spent almost £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the summer but have regressed, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. The captain maintained that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the new recruits. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to be answerable on the field. This is necessary in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we don’t have any consistency, we allow excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I hope everyone sees that. We have to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to point fingers but you have to do it together. We have been through it together and won the league and all contributed, and during a challenging phase you have to stick together and not point fingers.

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

Looking Ahead

Next up in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the European competition. He commented: “Wednesday is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? No, I’m going to return and analyze how we can improve results and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”