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Virgil van Dijk has delivered a blunt evaluation of the club's woeful championship campaign, confessing the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether all squad members is owning up for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his anger after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the top-flight standings 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 eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that fell apart against a Forest side that started the day in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

The captain described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“There was a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a fixture you are facing facts and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said Van Dijk. “We are definitely failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves 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: Step Up

The skipper usually speaks the media after a match as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. He spoke was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the dressing room to react. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” Asked whether this is occurring, Van Dijk replied: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I want the players to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450m to strengthen a championship-winning team in the off-season but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the new recruits. “It's difficult for all involved,” he said. “What I want is for each player to take responsibility on the field. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the press. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk added: “This season we lack any consistency, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I hope this is recognized. It's vital to accept duty to turn this around and it is easy to assign blame but unity is essential. Past successes were collective 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.

“Show character and confront the hardship and go again, 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 enduring many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged 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 domestic league is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the midweek visit of PSV in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “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 improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”