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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a scathing evaluation of Liverpool's disappointing championship campaign, admitting the reigning champions are in a mess and failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether all squad members is owning up for the current downturn.

Van Dijk struggled to hold back his frustration after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that unravelled against a opponent that started the day in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

The captain 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. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“We had a productive build-up to the match but in a game you are dealing with reality and the truth is we gave away a set piece in the opening period and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” said Van Dijk. “As a team, we're certainly letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down 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 difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

The skipper usually speaks the press after a match as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – so loud that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the squad to respond. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” Asked whether this is occurring, Van Dijk 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 want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool spent almost £450m to replenish a title-winning squad in the off-season but have gone backwards, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the new recruits. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want 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 have to follow the effort. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman added: “This season we don’t have any consistency, we allow excessive scores, we are being out-fought 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 you have to do it together. We have been through it together and claimed the title and everyone was part of it, and during a tough time 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 surrendering is not an option then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, because this club has been going through numerous challenges 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

The upcoming match in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the European competition. He said: “Wednesday is another game so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? No, I'll return and try to think how we can improve results and I trust that is the collective focus as well.”