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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt assessment of the club's disappointing title defence, confessing the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether all squad members is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk struggled to hold back his frustration after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the Premier League table with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

The captain labeled Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the Premier League this season.

“There was a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are facing facts and the facts are we conceded a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “As a team, we're definitely failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk typically addresses the media after a match as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. His voice was much louder – so loud that any player in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while urging the dressing room to respond. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” Asked whether that is happening, he replied: “It's unclear. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I expect the boys to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club invested almost £450m to replenish a championship-winning team in the summer but have regressed, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the new recruits. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to be answerable on the field. This is necessary in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you have to follow the effort. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk continued: “This season we lack any consistency, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and all share the blame for it and I hope this is recognized. We have to accept duty to reverse the situation and tempting to assign blame but you have to do it together. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a challenging phase you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and face the toughness and go again, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, 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 easy, it’s tiring but there is no other way.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a visit to London Stadium next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another opportunity so what am I going to do, go home and cry? No, I'll return and analyze how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”