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Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt assessment of the club's disappointing championship campaign, confessing the reigning champions are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his anger after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that unravelled against a Forest side that started the day in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half 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 the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“We had a productive build-up to the match but in a game you are dealing with reality and the facts are we gave away a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” stated the defender. “We are certainly failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. You look at yourself first and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Captain’s Challenge: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the media after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. This time was distinct, however. He spoke was more forceful – audible enough that any player in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that each individual has to be accountable.” When questioned whether this is occurring, he answered: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. That's crucial I want the boys to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450 million to strengthen a title-winning squad in the summer but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. Van Dijk maintained 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. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, you must join the press. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we allow excessive scores, we are being out-fought and all share the blame for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to accept duty to reverse the situation and it is easy to point fingers but unity is essential. We have been through it together and claimed the title and everyone was part of it, 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 in the wrong environment in my view, because Liverpool has been going through many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Looking Ahead

Next up in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, go home and cry? No, I’m going to go home and try to think how we can improve results and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”