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The Liverpool skipper has issued a blunt evaluation of the club's disappointing title defence, confessing the reigning champions are in disarray and letting down manager Arne Slot while doubting whether all squad members is owning up for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. The club's chair was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a display that fell apart against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses

The captain labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave Sean Dyche’s team the lead. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“There was a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing facts and the truth is we conceded a free-kick in the first half and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “We are definitely letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you support teammates, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the present time it is a mess – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the media after a match as part of his duties as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – audible enough that any player in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to respond. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, he replied: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I want the boys to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool invested almost £450m to strengthen a title-winning squad in the off-season but have regressed, with new arrivals failing to make an impact so far. Van Dijk insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the recent additions. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to be answerable on the pitch. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman continued: “This season we don’t have any consistency, we concede excessive scores, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I hope this is recognized. We have to take responsibility to reverse the situation and it is easy to assign blame 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 confront the hardship and go again, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my eyes, because Liverpool has been going through many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean it is easy, it’s tiring but there is no other way.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the Champions League. He commented: “Wednesday is another game so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to return and try to think how we can turn this around and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”