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The Liverpool skipper has delivered a blunt assessment of the club's disappointing title defence, admitting the reigning champions are in disarray and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

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 negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a performance that fell apart against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

The captain labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the advantage. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“There was a great build-up to the match but in a fixture you are dealing with facts and the truth is we conceded a free-kick in the first half and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” said Van Dijk. “We are definitely failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this mess because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

The skipper typically addresses the press after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was much louder – so loud that any player in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while urging the dressing room to respond. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether this is occurring, Van Dijk answered: “I don’t know. But it's essential. That's crucial I want the boys to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

Liverpool spent almost £450m to strengthen a title-winning squad in the off-season but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. Van Dijk insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the recent additions. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for everyone to be answerable on the field. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you must join the press. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “This season we don’t have any consistency, we concede far too many goals, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to reverse the situation and tempting to point fingers but unity is essential. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and during a challenging phase you must remain united and not point fingers.

“You have to be a man 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 many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is straightforward, 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 Sunday, after the midweek visit of PSV in the European competition. Van Dijk said: “The next game is another opportunity so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? No, I’m going to return and analyze how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”