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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a scathing evaluation of the club's disappointing championship campaign, confessing the title holders are in disarray and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether all squad members is owning up for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. The club's chair was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a Forest side that started the day in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Set-Piece Woes

The captain described Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. Forest’s opener 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 fixture you are dealing with reality and the truth is we gave away a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “We are 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

Van Dijk usually speaks the press after a match as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was more forceful – audible enough that any player in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he shook with anger while challenging the squad to respond. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” When questioned whether this is occurring, he replied: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. That's crucial I expect the players to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool spent almost £450 million to strengthen a title-winning squad in the summer 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 everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for everyone to take responsibility on the field. This is necessary 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 it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we lack any consistency, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and all share the blame for it and I hope this is recognized. We have to take responsibility to turn this around and tempting to point fingers but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and won the league and all contributed, and during a tough time you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and confront the hardship and persist, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option then you are in the wrong environment in my view, because Liverpool has been enduring numerous challenges over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean it is straightforward, 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 Champions League. He commented: “The next game is another game so how should I respond, go home and cry? Certainly not, I'll return and try to think how we can turn this around and I trust that is the collective focus as well.”