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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing assessment of Liverpool's woeful championship campaign, admitting the reigning champions are in disarray and letting down 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 the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across every tournament, and a display that unravelled against a opponent that started the day in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Set-Piece Woes

The captain labeled Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“We had a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are facing reality and the facts are we gave away a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” stated Van Dijk. “As a team, we're certainly letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

The skipper usually speaks the media after a match as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – so loud that any player in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while urging the dressing room to respond. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether this is occurring, he answered: “It's unclear. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I expect the boys to do. It's challenging during difficult times but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the off-season but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. The captain maintained that Liverpool’s problems extend past the recent additions. “It's difficult 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 improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk added: “In the current term we lack any steady form, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust this is recognized. We have to accept duty to reverse the situation and it is easy to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and all contributed, and when you go through a challenging phase you must remain united and not point fingers.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness and go again, again and again because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, because this club has been enduring numerous challenges over those years and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is straightforward, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match 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 said: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, go home and cry? Certainly not, I’m going to go home and analyze how we can improve results and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”