Virgil van Dijk has criticised Liverpool’s disastrous title defence, admitting the team is “in a mess” and questioning whether his teammates are taking enough responsibility after a 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest.
The loss left Liverpool in the bottom half of the Premier League with a negative goal difference. Van Dijk said Liverpool’s performance, particularly at the start of the second half, was “unacceptable” and claimed “panic kicked in” after Forest took the lead from a set piece — the ninth such goal Liverpool have conceded this season.
The captain said the team are letting down manager Arne Slot and themselves, insisting the squad must take collective responsibility to fix their slump. He openly challenged the dressing room, saying players should be angry and questioned whether everyone was truly stepping up.
Despite spending nearly £450m in the summer, Liverpool’s new signings have failed to make an impact, though Van Dijk stressed the problems run deeper than just the new arrivals. He pointed to a lack of consistency, poor defending and a failure to carry out basic pressing as key issues.
Van Dijk urged unity rather than finger-pointing and said the team must show character to fight their way out of the crisis. Liverpool face PSV in midweek before travelling to West Ham next Sunday, with Van Dijk insisting there is no time for excuses as the team looks to respond.
