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The Liverpool skipper has issued a scathing assessment of the club's woeful title defence, confessing the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether all squad members is owning up for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his frustration after Saturday’s heavy loss at Anfield by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the top-flight standings with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s sixth defeat in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a opponent that started the day in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Defensive Lapses

The captain described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the lead. The first goal was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“There was a productive build-up to the match but in a fixture you are dealing with facts and the facts are we conceded a set piece in the opening period and a poor concession at the beginning after the break,” said 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 work together to escape of this crisis because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that's the reality.

Captain’s Challenge: Step Up

Van Dijk typically addresses the press after a game as part of his role as Liverpool captain. Saturday was different, however. His voice was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the stadium corridors could listen in – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to respond. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The key point for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, he replied: “I don’t know. 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 have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Squad Investment and Team Problems

Liverpool invested almost £450m to replenish a title-winning squad in the off-season but have regressed, with new arrivals struggling to contribute so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the recent additions. “It’s tough for all involved,” he said. “What I want is for everyone to be answerable on the pitch. This is necessary in order to push each other, to improve collectively. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the press. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

The Dutchman continued: “In the current term we don’t have any steady form, we concede excessive scores, we are losing battles and all share the blame for it and I hope everyone sees that. We have to take responsibility to reverse the situation and it is easy to assign blame but unity is essential. Past successes were collective and claimed the title and all contributed, and when you go through 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, repeatedly because surrendering is not an option then you are at the wrong place in my view, because this club has been enduring many adversity over those years and we’ve consistently emerged of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s exhausting but there is only one path forward.”

Next Fixtures

The upcoming match in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the Champions League fixture of PSV in the European competition. He commented: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to go home and analyze how we can improve results and hopefully that is what everyone is doing as well.”