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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing evaluation of Liverpool's woeful championship campaign, admitting the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether every player is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk struggled to hold back his anger after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the Premier League table with a deficit in goals. The club's chair was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth setback in 11 matches across all competitions, and a performance that fell apart against a Forest side that started the day in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

The captain described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave Sean Dyche’s team the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the Premier League this season.

“There was a great build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing facts and the truth is we gave away a free-kick in the opening period and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said Van Dijk. “We are definitely failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

Van Dijk usually speaks the media after a game as part of his role as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” When questioned whether this is occurring, Van Dijk answered: “I don’t know. But it's essential. It’s the main thing 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 spent almost £450m to strengthen a title-winning squad in the off-season but have regressed, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the new recruits. “It's difficult for all involved,” he said. “What I want is for everyone to be answerable on the pitch. This is necessary in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you must join the press. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman continued: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we concede far too many goals, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I hope everyone sees that. We have 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 tough time you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness and persist, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, because Liverpool has been enduring numerous challenges over those years 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 Premier League is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the midweek visit of PSV in the Champions League. He commented: “The next game is another game so how should I respond, go home and cry? No, I'll go home and analyze how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”