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The Liverpool skipper has delivered a blunt assessment of Liverpool's woeful title defence, confessing the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether every player is taking responsibility for the current downturn.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the bottom half of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across every tournament, and a performance that fell apart against a Forest side that began the match in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

The captain labeled Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“There was a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with facts and the facts are we gave away a free-kick in the opening period and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” stated 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 support teammates, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the present time it is a mess – that’s just a fact.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Step Up

Van Dijk usually speaks the press after a game as part of his role as team leader. This time was distinct, however. His voice 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 react. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” Asked whether this is occurring, Van Dijk answered: “It's unclear. But it's essential. That's crucial I want the boys to do. It's challenging during tough periods but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Summer Signings and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450 million to replenish 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 maintained that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the recent additions. “It's difficult 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 improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you must join the press. It’s basic things but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk continued: “In the current term we don’t have any consistency, we allow excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust this is recognized. It's vital to accept duty to reverse the situation and it is easy to point fingers but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and everyone was part of it, and during a challenging phase you have to stick together and avoid blaming others.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness and go again, again and again because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my eyes, because Liverpool has been enduring many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, 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 weekend, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the Champions League. He commented: “Wednesday is another opportunity so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I'll go home and analyze how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”