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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt evaluation of Liverpool's disappointing title defence, admitting the title holders are in disarray and letting down manager Arne Slot while doubting whether every player is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

Van Dijk struggled to hold back his frustration after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe 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 began the match in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“There was a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are dealing with reality and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the opening period and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” said Van Dijk. “We are definitely letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this mess because at the present time it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Captain’s Challenge: Step Up

Van Dijk typically addresses the media after a game as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to respond. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, he answered: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. That's crucial I expect the players to do. It's challenging during difficult times but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club spent almost £450 million to replenish a title-winning squad in the off-season but have regressed, with new arrivals failing to make an impact so far. The captain maintained that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the recent additions. “It's difficult for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to be answerable on the pitch. This is necessary in order to push each other, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you must join the press. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “This season we don’t have any consistency, we concede excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I hope everyone sees that. It's vital to accept duty to reverse the situation and tempting to point fingers but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and all contributed, and when you go through a challenging phase you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and confront the hardship and persist, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my view, because this club has been going through numerous challenges 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 no other way.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match in the domestic league is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the midweek visit of PSV in the European competition. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, go home and cry? No, I'll go home and analyze how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”