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Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt evaluation of the club's woeful title defence, admitting the title holders are in disarray and letting down head coach Slot while doubting whether all squad members is owning up for the team’s slump.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his frustration after Saturday’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 witness Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that fell apart against a Forest side that started the day in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

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 advantage. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the Premier League this season.

“There was a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing reality and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “We are certainly failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you support teammates, 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: Take Responsibility

The skipper usually speaks the media after a match as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. His voice was more forceful – so loud that any teammate in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while urging the dressing room to respond. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that each individual has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, Van Dijk answered: “I don’t know. 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 Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450m to strengthen a title-winning squad in the summer but have regressed, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. The captain maintained that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the recent additions. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to be answerable on the pitch. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you must join the effort. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk added: “This season we lack any consistency, we allow far too many goals, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I hope this is recognized. We have to take responsibility to turn this around and tempting to point fingers but you have to do it together. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and during a challenging phase you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and face the toughness and persist, again and again because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, 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 exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the midweek visit of PSV in the European competition. He commented: “The next game is another opportunity so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? No, I'll go home and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”