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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing evaluation of the club's woeful championship campaign, admitting the reigning champions are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while doubting whether all squad members is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a negative goal difference. 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 unravelled against a opponent that began the match in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “not good enough” and admitted “panic kicked 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 current campaign.

“We had a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are facing facts and the facts are we conceded a free-kick in the first half and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “As a team, we're certainly letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the present time it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

Van Dijk usually speaks the press after a match as part of his role as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was much louder – so loud that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he shook with anger while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether this is occurring, he replied: “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 want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450m to replenish 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 maintained that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the recent additions. “It's difficult for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for everyone to take responsibility on the field. This is necessary in order to push each other, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, you must join the press. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk added: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we concede excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to reverse the situation and tempting to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a tough time you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness and persist, again and again because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment 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 easy, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “The next game is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? No, I'll go home and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”