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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing evaluation of the club's disappointing championship campaign, confessing the title holders are in disarray and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. The club's chair was in attendance to witness Liverpool’s sixth defeat in recent outings, their eighth loss in 11 matches across all competitions, and a performance that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the relegation zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

Van Dijk described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the lead. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“We had a great build-up to the match but in a game you are facing facts and the truth is we gave away a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” stated Van Dijk. “As a team, we're definitely letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this crisis because at the moment it is a mess – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk usually speaks the media after a game as part of his duties as team leader. This time was distinct, however. He spoke was more forceful – so loud that any teammate in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that each individual has to be accountable.” When questioned whether this is occurring, Van Dijk replied: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I expect the boys to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

Liverpool invested almost £450 million to strengthen a title-winning squad 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 new recruits. “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 motivate one another, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you must join the press. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman added: “In the current term we lack any consistency, we allow excessive scores, we are being out-fought and all share the blame for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to reverse the situation and it is easy to point fingers but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and won the league and everyone was part of it, and when you go through a challenging phase you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“Show character 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 view, because this club has been enduring many adversity over those years and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean it is straightforward, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Looking Ahead

Next up in the domestic league is a visit to London Stadium next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the European competition. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another game so how should I respond, go home and cry? No, I’m going to go home and try to think how we can turn this around and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”