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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing assessment of Liverpool's disappointing title defence, confessing the title holders are in disarray and failing head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender could not contain his frustration after the weekend's heavy loss at Anfield by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a display that fell apart against a opponent that began the match in the drop 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 the Forest player gave the visitors the advantage. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the Premier League this season.

“There was a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are dealing with reality and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” said the defender. “As a team, we're definitely failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves 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 the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

Van Dijk typically addresses the media 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 stadium corridors could hear him – and he shook with anger while challenging the squad 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: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I expect the players to do. It's challenging during difficult times but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool invested almost £450 million 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 issues extend past the new recruits. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for each player to take responsibility on the field. We have to do that in order to push each other, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, you must join the press. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk continued: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust this is recognized. 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 tough time you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“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 view, because Liverpool has been enduring many adversity over those years and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean it is easy, it’s exhausting 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 midweek visit of the Dutch side in the Champions League. Van Dijk commented: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to go home and analyze how we can turn this around and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”