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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing assessment of Liverpool's woeful title defence, admitting the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether all squad members is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his anger after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in seven league games, their eighth setback in 11 matches across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Set-Piece Woes

The captain labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the advantage. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“There was a great 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 first half and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “We are certainly failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper usually speaks the press after a match as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. He spoke was more forceful – so loud that any player in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while urging the squad to respond. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that each individual has to be accountable.” Asked whether this is occurring, Van Dijk replied: “I don’t know. But it's essential. That's crucial I expect the boys to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million to strengthen a championship-winning team in the summer but have regressed, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues extend past the recent additions. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for everyone to be answerable on the field. We have to do that in order to push each other, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, 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 lack any steady form, we concede far too many goals, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to turn this around and tempting to assign blame but unity is essential. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and during a tough time you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and confront the hardship and go again, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my view, because Liverpool has been enduring numerous challenges over recent seasons 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.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the domestic league is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the midweek visit of PSV in the Champions League. He commented: “Wednesday is another game so how should I respond, go home and cry? No, I’m going to go home and analyze how we can turn this around and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”