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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing assessment of the club's disappointing championship campaign, admitting the title holders are in a mess and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether all squad members is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk struggled to hold back his anger after Saturday’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. Tom Werner was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that fell apart against a Forest side that began the match in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo 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.

“There was a great build-up to the match but in a game you are facing reality 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 letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this mess because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

The skipper typically addresses the media after a game as part of his duties as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he shook with anger while challenging the dressing room to respond. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that each individual has to take responsibility.” Asked whether this is occurring, Van Dijk replied: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I want the players to do. It's challenging during difficult times but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

Liverpool spent almost £450m to replenish a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. Van Dijk insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the new recruits. “It's difficult for all involved,” he said. “My expectation 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 must join the press. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

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 all share the blame for it and I trust this is recognized. It's vital to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to point fingers but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a challenging phase you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and confront the hardship and persist, again and again because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my view, because Liverpool has been going through numerous challenges over those years and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean 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 Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the European competition. Van Dijk commented: “Wednesday is another game so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to return and analyze how we can improve results and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”