Virgil van Dijk said Liverpool’s players are letting manager Arne Slot down after the Premier League champions’ collapse continued with a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool have lost six of their last seven league games to slide into the bottom half of the table, putting Slot under pressure after the club’s record spend of nearly £450 million ($590 million) in the transfer market.
“We are definitely letting him (Slot) down but we’ve let ourselves down as well,” said Van Dijk.
“You look at yourself first and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this mess because at the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact.
“As the champions we can’t be in the situation we are in right now. What are we going to do about it? We’re going to try to turn it around and that’s the mentality everyone should have.”
None of Liverpool’s big money summer signings have yet to make a positive impact.
Alexander Isak, who cost a British transfer record £125 million, is still to score a league goal for the Reds and looked a shadow of the player he was at Newcastle during an ineffectual 68 minutes against Forest.
But many of last season’s title winners have also suffered a slump in form with Van Dijk’s centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate also replaced early by Slot after another poor performance.
“What I want is for everyone to take responsibility on the pitch. We have to do that in order to push each other, to make each other better,” added Van Dijk.
“We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it and happy and when you go through a tough time you have to stick together and not point fingers.
“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 in my eyes because this club has gone through much adversity over those years and we’ve always come out of it.”
Liverpool’s form in the Champions League has been much better with three wins from four games.
The return to European competition could offer some relief for Slot’s men when PSV Eindhoven visit Anfield in Liverpool’s next outing on Wednesday.

Blame me — Slot

Meanwhile, Arne Slot accepted the blame for Liverpool’s sixth Premier League defeat in seven matches after Nottingham Forest swept to a shock 3-0 victory at Anfield on Saturday.
Slot’s side slumped to their joint-worst Premier League loss on home turf as Forest piled on the misery for the spluttering champions.
Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White scored for Forest in Liverpool’s heaviest home defeat since losing 4-1 to Manchester City in 2021.
Chelsea and West Ham are the only other teams in the Premier League era to win at Anfield by three goals.
Slot was outwitted by Forest boss Sean Dyche, whose low block and counter-attacking game plan exposed the flaws in Liverpool’s misfiring line-up.
“How bad that is difficult to measure but it was very bad. Playing at home, losing 3-0 no matter which team you face is a very, very bad result,” Slot said.
“I want to emphasise I am responsible for the current losses, you are responsible when you are winning but also responsible when you are losing.
“I can never come up with excuses for us to have the results we have. That is far from good enough and I am responsible for that.”
The astonishing defeat dropped Liverpool to 11th in the table, leaving them eight points behind leaders Arsenal with their title defence in tatters well before Christmas.
Liverpool have suffered eight defeats in their last 11 matches in all competitions, a remarkable run for a team that cantered to their record-equalling 20th English title last term.
The Reds’ collapse has come after spending nearly £450 million ($589 million) on new signings in the summer in a spree that was expected to deliver more silverware.
Alexander Isak, their British record signing from Newcastle, remains without a league goal for the Reds, while Florian Wirtz has been even less impactful.
Despite their stunning predicament, Slot is adamant Liverpool will eventually emerge from their malaise.
“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have,” he said.
“No matter if you win or lose, if you make a line-up or make substitutions when you look back you are also thinking ‘Where can we do better, where we can adjust?’ but that is something else from doubting yourself.”
Slot claimed Liverpool had actually played well in the first half against Forest, with their lack of cutting edge proving decisive.
“In my opinion it was a good start from us. I haven’t seen us creating so much in the opening half-hour maybe the whole season,” he said.
“We were able to create a lot and the first time they arrived in our box they scored a goal.
“It is a very difficult cocktail to drink if you miss out on your own chances and every time you concede one the ball goes in.”