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Virgil van Dijk has issued a scathing evaluation of the club's disappointing title defence, admitting the reigning champions are in disarray and letting down manager Arne Slot while doubting whether all squad members is owning up for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after the weekend's heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. The club's chair was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that fell apart against a opponent that began the match in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

The captain labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“We had a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing reality and the truth is we gave away a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said Van Dijk. “We are definitely letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves 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 the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk usually speaks the media after a match as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. His voice was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he shook with anger while urging the dressing room to respond. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” When questioned whether this is occurring, he answered: “It's unclear. But it's essential. That's crucial I expect the players to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the summer but have gone backwards, with new arrivals struggling to contribute 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 everyone to take responsibility on the field. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the effort. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we don’t have 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 unity is essential. We have been through it together and won the league and all contributed, and during a tough time you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and face the toughness and persist, again and again because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my view, because this club has been going through many adversity over those years and we’ve always come out of it. But it doesn’t mean it is straightforward, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the European competition. Van Dijk said: “The next game is another opportunity so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I'll go home and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”