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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing evaluation of Liverpool's disappointing title defence, confessing the reigning champions are in disarray and failing head coach Slot while doubting whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his anger after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the Premier League table with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth setback in 11 matches across every tournament, and a display that fell apart against a opponent that began the match in the relegation zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the lead. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“We had a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are facing facts and the truth is we gave away a set piece in the opening period and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” said Van Dijk. “We are certainly letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this mess because at the present time it is a mess – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk usually speaks the press after a game as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was more forceful – so loud that any player in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that each individual has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether this is occurring, he answered: “I don’t know. But it's essential. 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 aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450 million to strengthen a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. Van Dijk maintained that Liverpool’s problems extend past the recent additions. “It’s tough for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for everyone to be answerable 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. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman continued: “This season we don’t have any steady form, we allow excessive scores, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I trust everyone sees that. We have to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to assign blame but unity is essential. We have been through it together and claimed the title and all contributed, and during a challenging phase you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“Show character and confront the hardship and go again, again and again because surrendering is not an option then you are at the wrong place in my eyes, because this club has been going through many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. However, that doesn't imply it is straightforward, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Looking Ahead

Next up in the domestic league is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “The next game is another game so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I'll go home and analyze how we can improve results and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”