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Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt evaluation of Liverpool's disappointing title defence, confessing the title holders are in disarray and letting down manager Arne Slot while questioning whether all squad members is owning up for the team’s slump.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his anger after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Nottingham Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth setback in 11 matches across every tournament, and a display that unravelled against a opponent 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 “not good enough” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave Sean Dyche’s team the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“We had a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with facts and the facts are we gave away 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 let ourselves down 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 difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the press after a game as part of his duties as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was much louder – so loud that any teammate in the stadium corridors 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 be accountable.” Asked 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 challenging during difficult times but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450m to strengthen a title-winning squad in the summer but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. Van Dijk insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the new recruits. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to be answerable on the pitch. We have to do that in order to push each other, to make each other better. If a teammate presses, you have to follow the press. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Appeal to Stick Together

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we concede far too many goals, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I hope this is recognized. It's vital to take responsibility to turn this around and it is easy to point fingers but you have to do it together. We have been through it together and claimed the title and all contributed, and during a tough time you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“Show character and face the toughness 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 enduring numerous challenges over those years 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

Next up in the domestic league is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the midweek visit of PSV in the Champions League. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another opportunity so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to go home and try to think how we can turn this around and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”