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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a scathing assessment of the club's woeful championship campaign, confessing the reigning champions are in disarray and letting down manager Arne Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his anger after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a display that fell apart against a opponent that started the day in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“We had a great build-up to the match but in a game you are dealing with reality and the truth is we gave away a set piece in the opening period and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said Van Dijk. “As a team, we're certainly failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. You look at yourself first and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the present time it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk typically addresses the press after a match as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. His voice was more forceful – audible enough that any player in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he shook with anger while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, he answered: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I expect the boys to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

Liverpool spent almost £450 million to strengthen a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the new recruits. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to take responsibility on the pitch. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you must join the press. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening 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 all share the blame for it and I trust everyone sees that. We have to take responsibility to turn this around and tempting to point fingers but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and won the league and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a challenging phase you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness 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 those years 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.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the European competition. He said: “The next game is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? Certainly not, I’m going to return and try to think how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”