Van Dijk Slams Liverpool After 3-0 Home Defeat to Nottingham Forest
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk appeared to criticize his teammates following the Reds’ 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Goals from Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White secured all three points for Forest at Anfield for the second consecutive year, marking Liverpool’s sixth loss in just seven matches.
Even with Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah, and a returning Alisson in the starting lineup, Liverpool couldn’t convert their possession dominance into goals against Sean Dyche’s well-organized side. The defeat sees Liverpool drop to 11th in the Premier League, with a record of six wins and six losses, while Forest climb to 16th after their third victory of the season. It also marks the first time since 1965 that Liverpool have lost back-to-back league matches by three or more goals.
Slot’s squad has now conceded 20 goals in 12 league games—their worst defensive record in a season since 1992—and suffered one of their joint-heaviest defeats at Anfield in Premier League history.
After the match, Van Dijk spoke to Premier League Productions, saying Liverpool fell short in “battles, challenges, [and] the fight,” describing their performance as “rushed.” He stressed that the team must “work harder” and acknowledged that their current form is “a problem.”
“Everyone in the team has to take responsibility,” Van Dijk said. “Football is a team game, and we all have to own this. We have to digest it, take it on the chin, and work harder. Everyone is disappointed, as they should be, because losing at home to Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad. The goals we conceded were far too easy, and we all need to look in the mirror. I’ve been at this club a long time, and we’ve faced adversity before. We will bounce back, but it won’t happen overnight. I’m not a quitter, and we will keep going.”
He also addressed supporters who left early after Forest’s third goal, saying: “I can’t decide what the fans do if they leave early. They’ve been with us through thick and thin. They will be there when we come out of this, because we will come out of it.”
Liverpool’s next matches are at home against PSV in the Champions League on November 26, followed by a Premier League trip to West Ham on November 30.