Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has admitted that the Premier League champions are letting manager Arne Slot down after their recent struggles continued with a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.

The Reds have lost six of their last seven league matches, sliding into the bottom half of the table and placing Slot under pressure, despite the club’s record summer spending of nearly £450 million.

“We are definitely letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well,” Van Dijk said.
“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 high-profile summer signings have made a significant impact so far. Alexander Isak, signed for a British transfer record £125 million, is yet to score a league goal and struggled during an ineffective 68 minutes against Forest.

Even some of last season’s title winners have suffered a dip in form. Van Dijk’s centre-back partner, Ibrahima Konate, was substituted early by Slot after another disappointing display.

“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,” Van Dijk added.
“We’ve been through it together and won the league, and everyone was part of it and happy. When you go through a tough time, you have to stick together and not point fingers.

“You have to be a man, face the toughness, and go again, again, and again. If you want to give up, then you’re in the wrong place in my eyes, because this club has gone through much adversity over the years, and we’ve always come out of it.”

Liverpool’s Champions League form has been brighter, with three wins from four matches. The European campaign could provide some respite for Slot’s squad when PSV Eindhoven visit Anfield in their next outing on Wednesday.