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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt assessment of the club's woeful championship campaign, admitting the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while doubting whether all squad members is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. The club's chair was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s sixth defeat in seven league games, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that fell apart against a opponent 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 “panic kicked in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the advantage. The first goal was the ninth goal 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 reality and the truth is we gave away a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” said Van Dijk. “We are definitely letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the press after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. This time was distinct, however. His voice was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he shook with anger while urging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The main thing for me is that each individual has to be accountable.” Asked whether this is occurring, Van Dijk answered: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. That's crucial I expect 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 spent almost £450 million to strengthen a title-winning squad in the off-season but have regressed, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the recent additions. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to be answerable on the pitch. This is necessary in order to push each other, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you must join the effort. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk continued: “In the current term we lack any steady form, we allow far too many goals, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. We have to accept duty to reverse the situation and tempting to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and all contributed, and during a challenging phase you must remain united and not point fingers.

“Show character and confront the hardship and persist, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my eyes, because Liverpool has been enduring many adversity over those years and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s tiring but there is no other way.”

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 commented: “Wednesday is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? Certainly not, I’m going to go home and try to think how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”