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The Liverpool skipper has issued a blunt assessment of the club's woeful title defence, admitting the reigning champions are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the team’s slump.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his frustration after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the Premier League table with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that fell apart against a opponent that started the day in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

The captain described Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“We had a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing reality and the facts are we conceded a set piece in the opening period and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” stated Van Dijk. “As a team, we're certainly failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk typically addresses the press after a match as part of his duties as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was much louder – so loud that any teammate in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that each individual has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, Van Dijk replied: “I don’t know. But it's essential. That's crucial I expect the boys to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool invested almost £450 million to replenish a title-winning squad in the summer but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the recent additions. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to take responsibility on the pitch. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you must join the press. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk continued: “This season we lack any consistency, we concede excessive scores, 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 it is easy to assign blame but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and all contributed, and when you go through a challenging phase you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and confront the hardship and go again, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option then you are at the wrong place in my view, because this club has been enduring many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. But it doesn’t mean it is easy, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

Next up in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the European competition. He commented: “Wednesday is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? No, I’m going to return and analyze how we can turn this around and I trust that is the collective focus as well.”