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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a scathing evaluation of Liverpool's woeful title defence, confessing the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

The Dutch defender could not contain his frustration after the weekend's heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in 11 matches across all competitions, and a performance that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

The captain labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the Premier League this season.

“We had a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a fixture you are facing reality and the facts are we conceded a set piece in the opening period and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” said Van Dijk. “As a team, we're definitely failing the manager, 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 crisis because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Captain’s Challenge: Step Up

Van Dijk usually speaks the press after a match as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was much louder – so loud that any teammate in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he shook with anger while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that each individual has to take responsibility.” Asked whether this is occurring, he replied: “I don’t know. But it's essential. 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 want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club spent 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 issues extend past the new recruits. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to be answerable on the field. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you have to follow the effort. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk added: “This season we lack any steady form, we allow excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust this is recognized. We have to accept duty to turn this around and tempting to assign blame but you have to do it together. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a tough time you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“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 at the wrong place in my eyes, because this club has been enduring numerous challenges over those years and we’ve always come out of it. But it doesn’t mean it is straightforward, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

Next up in the Premier League is a visit to London Stadium next Sunday, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the European competition. Van Dijk commented: “Wednesday is another opportunity so what am I going to do, go home and cry? No, I’m going to go home and try to think how we can turn this around and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”