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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt assessment of the club's disappointing championship campaign, admitting the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender could not contain 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 negative goal difference. The club's chair was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that unravelled against a opponent that began the match in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

The captain described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“There was a great three or four days’ preparation but in a fixture you are facing reality and the facts are we gave away a free-kick in the first half and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” stated Van Dijk. “As a team, we're certainly letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. You look at yourself first and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this mess because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Captain’s Challenge: Take Responsibility

The skipper usually speaks the press after a match as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. He spoke was more forceful – so loud that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he shook with anger while challenging the squad to react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” Asked whether this is occurring, he answered: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. That's crucial I expect the players 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 Team Problems

The Merseyside club spent almost £450m to replenish a title-winning squad in the summer but have regressed, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the recent additions. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for everyone to be answerable on the field. We have to do that in order to push each other, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you have to follow the press. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “This season we lack any steady form, we allow excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. We have to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and all contributed, and during a challenging phase you must remain united and not point fingers.

“Show character 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 many adversity over those years and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s exhausting but there is no other way.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a visit to London Stadium next weekend, after the midweek visit of PSV in the Champions League. Van Dijk commented: “The next game is another game so what am I going to do, go home and cry? No, I'll go home and try to think how we can turn this around and I trust that is the collective focus as well.”