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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt evaluation of Liverpool's woeful championship campaign, admitting the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his frustration after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. The club's chair was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth setback in 11 matches across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked 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 Premier League this season.

“There was a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with reality and the facts are we gave away a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” stated the defender. “We are certainly failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this mess because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the press after a match 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 hear him – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” Asked whether this is occurring, Van Dijk answered: “I don’t know. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I want the players to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450m to replenish a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. Van Dijk insisted that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the new recruits. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to be answerable on the field. We have to do that in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you must join the press. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk added: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we allow far too many goals, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to reverse the situation and tempting to assign blame but unity is essential. We have been through it together and claimed the title and all contributed, and during a challenging phase you have to stick together 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 eyes, because Liverpool has been going through 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 domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “The next game is another game so what am I going to do, go home and cry? Certainly not, I'll go home and analyze how we can turn this around and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”