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The Liverpool skipper has delivered a blunt assessment of the club's woeful title defence, confessing the reigning champions are in disarray and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his frustration after the weekend's heavy loss at Anfield by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. The club's chair was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that fell apart against a opponent that started the day in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“There was a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a fixture you are dealing with reality and the facts are we gave away a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “As a team, we're certainly failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this mess because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Captain’s Challenge: Step Up

Van Dijk usually speaks the media after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while urging the squad to respond. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether that is happening, he replied: “It's unclear. But it's essential. That's crucial I expect the players to do. It's challenging during difficult times but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool spent almost £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the summer but have regressed, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. Van Dijk maintained that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the recent additions. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to take responsibility on the pitch. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk continued: “This season we don’t have any consistency, we allow far too many goals, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust this is recognized. It's vital to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to point fingers but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and all contributed, and when you go through a challenging phase 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 view, because Liverpool has been enduring numerous challenges over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is straightforward, 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 Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the European competition. He commented: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, go home and cry? No, I’m going to return and try to think how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”