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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 failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether all squad members is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender could not contain his anger after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half 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 fell apart against a opponent that began the match in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Set-Piece Woes

The captain labeled Liverpool’s start to the second half as “not good enough” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the Premier League this season.

“There was a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with reality and the facts are we gave away a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “As a team, we're definitely failing the manager, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the moment it is a mess – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

Van Dijk typically addresses the media after a match as part of his duties as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was more forceful – audible enough that any player in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he shook with anger while challenging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” When questioned whether that is happening, 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 must act if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

Liverpool spent almost £450m to strengthen a title-winning squad 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 extend past the recent additions. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “What I want is for each player to be answerable on the field. We have to do that in order to push each other, to improve collectively. If a teammate presses, you have to follow the effort. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk added: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we concede excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust this is recognized. We have to take responsibility to reverse the situation and it is easy to point fingers but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and all contributed, and during a challenging phase you must remain united and not point fingers.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness and go again, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option then you are at the wrong place in my eyes, because this club has been enduring 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 Premier League is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side 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 return and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”