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Virgil van Dijk has issued a scathing assessment of the club's disappointing championship campaign, admitting the reigning champions are in disarray 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 frustration after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the Premier League table with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a display that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the lead. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“There was a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing facts and the truth is we conceded a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” said the defender. “As a team, we're certainly letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, 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 usually speaks the media after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he expressed visible fury 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 this is occurring, Van Dijk replied: “I don’t know. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I want the boys to do. It's challenging during difficult times but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

Liverpool spent almost £450m to replenish a title-winning squad in the summer but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the recent additions. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to take responsibility on the field. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the effort. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk added: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we allow excessive scores, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I hope this is recognized. We have to take responsibility to reverse the situation and it is easy to assign blame but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and won the league and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a tough time you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and confront the hardship and go again, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option then you are at the wrong place in my view, because Liverpool has been enduring numerous challenges over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. However, that doesn't imply it is straightforward, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? No, I'll return and analyze how we can turn this around and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”