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The Liverpool skipper has delivered a blunt assessment of the club's disappointing championship campaign, confessing the reigning champions are in a mess and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his anger after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. The club's chair was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth setback in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a display that fell apart against a opponent that started the day in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the advantage. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the Premier League this season.

“There was a great 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 terrible goal at the start of the second half,” said the defender. “As a team, we're certainly letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the present time it is a mess – that's the reality.

Captain’s Challenge: Step Up

The skipper usually speaks the press after a game as part of his role as team leader. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was much louder – so loud that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the squad to react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether that is happening, Van Dijk replied: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I expect the players to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

The Merseyside club spent almost £450m to strengthen a championship-winning team in the summer but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the new recruits. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “What I want is for each player to take responsibility on the pitch. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the effort. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

Van Dijk added: “This season we don’t have any steady form, we concede excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital 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 when you go through a challenging phase you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“Show character and confront the hardship and go again, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, because this club 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 tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

Next up in the domestic league is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the midweek visit of PSV in the European competition. He said: “Wednesday is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? No, I'll go home and try to think how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”