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Virgil van Dijk has issued a scathing assessment of Liverpool's disappointing title defence, confessing the reigning champions are in a mess and failing head coach Slot while doubting whether every player is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his frustration after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the Premier League table with a deficit in goals. The club's chair was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across every tournament, and a performance that unravelled against a opponent that began the match in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Set-Piece Woes

The captain described Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“We had a great three or four days’ preparation but in a fixture you are facing facts and the facts are we conceded a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” stated the defender. “We are 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 crisis because at the present time it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

The skipper usually speaks the press after a match as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was more forceful – audible enough that any teammate in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to react. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” When questioned whether this is occurring, he answered: “It's unclear. But it's essential. That's crucial I want the players to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450m to replenish a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. Van Dijk insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the recent additions. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for everyone to take responsibility on the pitch. This is necessary in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you must join the effort. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we lack 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 accept duty to reverse the situation and tempting to point fingers but you have to do it together. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and during a challenging phase you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness and go again, again and again because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, because this club has been going through numerous challenges over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. However, that doesn't imply it is straightforward, it’s exhausting but there is no other way.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the domestic league is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the European competition. He commented: “Wednesday is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? Certainly not, I'll go home and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”