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The Liverpool skipper has delivered a scathing assessment of the club's woeful championship campaign, admitting the title holders are in a mess and failing head coach Slot while doubting whether every player is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across every tournament, and a performance that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the advantage. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations 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 conceded a free-kick in the first half and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” said the defender. “As a team, we're definitely letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper usually speaks the media after a game as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – so loud that any player in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to respond. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether that is happening, Van Dijk replied: “I don’t know. But it's essential. That's crucial I want the boys to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million to strengthen a championship-winning team in the summer but have regressed, 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. “My expectation is for everyone to take responsibility on the field. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk continued: “In the current term we don’t have any consistency, we concede far too many goals, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I hope everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility 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 everyone was part of it, and when you go through a challenging phase you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“Show character and confront the hardship and persist, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option 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 consistently emerged of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s tiring but there is no other way.”

Next Fixtures

Next up in the domestic league is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the Champions League. Van Dijk commented: “Wednesday is another opportunity so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? No, I'll go home and try to think how we can turn this around and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”