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The Liverpool skipper has issued a blunt evaluation of the club's disappointing title defence, confessing the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether all squad members is owning up for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk 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 negative goal difference. The club's chair was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that fell apart against a opponent that began the match in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half 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 the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“We had a great build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing facts and the facts are we gave away a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” stated the defender. “As a team, we're definitely failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this mess because at the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Captain’s Challenge: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the media after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. This time was distinct, 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 react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The key point 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 expect the players to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million 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 insisted that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the recent additions. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to take responsibility on the field. This is necessary in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we lack any consistency, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I hope everyone sees that. It's vital to accept duty to turn this around and tempting to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and all contributed, and when you go through a tough time you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“Show character and face the toughness and persist, again and again because surrendering is not an option then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, because this club has been enduring many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is straightforward, it’s exhausting but there is no other way.”

Looking Ahead

Next up 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. Van Dijk commented: “The next game is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? Certainly not, I'll go home and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”