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The Liverpool skipper has delivered a scathing evaluation of the club's woeful championship campaign, confessing the reigning champions are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether all squad members is taking responsibility for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his anger after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across all competitions, and a performance that unravelled against a opponent that began the match in the drop zone.

“Unacceptable” Start and Set-Piece Woes

Van Dijk 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 allowed from dead-ball situations in the Premier League this season.

“There was a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are facing facts and the facts are we gave away a free-kick in the first half and a terrible goal at the start of the second half,” said Van Dijk. “We are definitely letting him down, but we’ve disappointed ourselves as well. You look at yourself first and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this crisis because at the moment it is a mess – 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 much louder – so loud that any player in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while urging the dressing room to respond. “Anger is justified,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that everyone has to be accountable.” Asked whether that is happening, he replied: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. It’s the main thing I want the boys to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we must act if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the off-season but have regressed, with several high-profile signings struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the new recruits. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “What I want is for everyone to take responsibility on the field. 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 effort. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk continued: “In the current term we don’t have any consistency, we concede excessive scores, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I hope this is recognized. We have to accept duty to reverse the situation and it is easy to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and all contributed, and when you go through a tough time you must remain united and avoid blaming others.

“Show character and confront the hardship and go again, again and again because surrendering is not an option then you are in the wrong environment in my view, because Liverpool has been going through many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. But it doesn’t mean it is straightforward, it’s tiring but there is no other way.”

Looking Ahead

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the European competition. Van Dijk said: “Wednesday is another opportunity so how should I respond, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, 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.”