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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt assessment of the club's woeful title defence, confessing the title holders are in disarray and failing head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a negative goal difference. The club's chair was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth loss in 11 matches across every tournament, and a display that unravelled against a Forest side that started the day in the drop 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 Murillo gave the visitors the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“We had a great build-up to the match but in a game you are facing facts and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” stated the defender. “As a team, we're definitely letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this mess because at the present time it is a mess – that's the reality.

Captain’s Challenge: Step Up

The skipper typically addresses the media after a game as part of his role as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to react. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether that is happening, he answered: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I want the players to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450m to replenish a title-winning squad in the off-season but have gone backwards, with new arrivals failing to make an impact so far. The captain maintained that Liverpool’s problems extend past the new recruits. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to be answerable on the field. We have to do that in order to push each other, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you must join the press. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman continued: “This season we don’t have any steady form, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust 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 won the league and all contributed, and during a tough time you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“Show character and confront the hardship and persist, again and again because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my view, because Liverpool has been going through numerous challenges over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

Next up in the Premier League is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the Champions League. He commented: “The next game is another game so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to return and analyze how we can turn this around and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”