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

Van Dijk struggled to hold back his anger 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 deficit in goals. The club's chair was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a performance that fell apart against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“We had a great three or four days’ preparation but in a fixture you are dealing with facts and the facts are we conceded a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” stated Van Dijk. “As a team, we're certainly failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this mess because at the present time it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

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 more forceful – so loud that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the squad to react. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that each individual has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, he answered: “I don’t know. But it's essential. That's crucial I expect the players to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool spent almost £450m to replenish a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with new arrivals failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted 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. When someone is pressing, you must join the press. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman continued: “This season we lack any consistency, we concede far too many goals, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I hope this is recognized. We have to take responsibility to reverse the situation and tempting to point fingers but you have to do it together. We have been through it together and claimed the title and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a challenging phase you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and confront the hardship and persist, again and again because surrendering is not an option then you are at the wrong place in my view, because this club has been enduring numerous challenges over those years 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.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a visit to London Stadium next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the European competition. He commented: “The next game is another opportunity so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to go home and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”