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The Liverpool skipper has delivered a blunt evaluation of the club's disappointing championship campaign, admitting the reigning champions are in a mess and letting down manager Arne Slot while questioning whether all squad members is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his anger after the weekend's heavy loss at Anfield by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth loss in 11 matches across all competitions, and a performance that fell apart against a opponent that started the day in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk labeled Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” 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 Premier League this season.

“We had a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are facing facts and the facts are we conceded a free-kick in the opening period and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” stated Van Dijk. “We are 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 difficult situation – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

The skipper typically addresses the media after a game as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was more forceful – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he shook with anger while challenging the squad to respond. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, he replied: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. That's crucial I want 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 £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the summer but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. Van Dijk maintained that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the new recruits. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to take responsibility on the pitch. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the press. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk added: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we concede far too many goals, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to point fingers but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and everyone was part of it, and during a challenging phase you must remain united and not point fingers.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness 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 enduring many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean it is straightforward, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

Next up in the domestic 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, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I'll go home and analyze how we can turn this around and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”