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Virgil van Dijk has issued a scathing assessment of the club's woeful 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.

The Dutch defender could not contain his anger after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a opponent that started the day in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

The captain labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the advantage. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“We had a great build-up to the match but in a fixture you are dealing with facts and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” stated Van Dijk. “As a team, we're definitely failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

Van Dijk typically addresses the press after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the dressing room to react. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” When questioned whether that is happening, he answered: “I don’t know. But it's essential. That's crucial I expect the boys to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million to replenish a title-winning squad in the summer but have regressed, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the new recruits. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for everyone to be answerable on the field. This is necessary in order to push each other, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the press. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman continued: “In the current term we don’t have any consistency, we allow excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I hope this is recognized. It's vital to take responsibility to turn this around and tempting to assign blame but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and claimed the title 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 eyes, because this club has been going through many adversity over those years and we’ve always come out of it. But it doesn’t mean it is easy, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the European competition. He commented: “The next game is another game so what am I going to do, go home and cry? Certainly not, I'll return and analyze how we can turn this around and I trust that is the collective focus as well.”