Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has issued a startlingly honest and damning assessment of his team's dramatic title defence collapse, following a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Van Dijk pulls no punches after Anfield humiliation
The Reds skipper did not hold back in his post-match interview, using words like 'unacceptable', 'panic', 'angry' and 'a mess' to describe a performance that saw the champions slump to their sixth Premier League defeat of the season. The loss leaves Arne Slot's side in a deepening crisis, with their title hopes evaporating before a stunned Anfield crowd.
Van Dijk emphasised the need for 'collective responsibility' among the players, insisting that everyone at the club must examine their attitude and commitment. 'At the moment it is a mess - that is just a fact,' the Dutch defender stated bluntly. 'We are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I hope everyone sees that. You should be angry.'
Basic errors and mental weakness exposed
The Liverpool captain pinpointed fundamental failures as the root cause of the team's current struggles. He highlighted a lack of basic defensive organisation and mental strength as particularly concerning issues. 'When someone is pressing, you have to follow the press. It's basic things but it's not happening enough,' Van Dijk explained.
He specifically noted that Forest were 'physically winning so many battles against us', a theme that resonated with the Anfield supporters who loudly criticised Cody Gakpo for meekly losing a 50-50 challenge in the first half. The incident typified what Van Dijk described as a 'physical and mental weakness' running through the entire team performance.
Slot let down as Liverpool fold under pressure
The defeat unfolded under the watching eyes of Liverpool chairman Tom Werner, increasing the pressure on new manager Arne Slot. Van Dijk admitted the players were letting their manager down, but stressed the responsibility lay with everyone at the club.
'The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility,' the captain said. 'In terms of letting him (the manager) down we are definitely letting him down but we have let ourselves down as well.'
After Murillo opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark, Liverpool's composure completely disappeared. 'We conceded and panic kicks in,' Van Dijk admitted. 'As a team, you have to try to stay calm and do the right things. But we didn't do that and that's hard to accept.'
The situation worsened after halftime when Nicolo Savona added a second goal soon after the break, followed by a third from Morgan Gibbs-White that gave Sean Dyche's organised Forest side a fully deserved victory margin.
Despite the bleak situation, Van Dijk insisted he remains committed to turning things around. 'I'm not a quitter. I will never quit. I will keep going but it doesn't mean it isn't tough to take,' he stated, while challenging his teammates to show the same resilience. '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 at the wrong place.'
