Virgil van Dijk opens up on Liverpool’s poor form under Arne Slot with a self-critical perspective
Liverpool, following their Premier League title victory, has struggled to make an impact in the 2025-26 season. With four losses in their last five matches, they currently sit at eleventh in the standings. Additionally, they suffered a 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, a team near the bottom of the table, which further highlighted their vulnerabilities. In light of this, Virgil van Dijk opened up about the Reds’ poor results under Arne Slot, offering strong self-criticism.
“We are definitely letting him (Slot) down but we’ve let ourselves down as well…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,” Virgil van Dijk said, as reported by ESPN.
Following a multi-million dollar investment of $555.94 million, which saw several key players replaced, Liverpool fans expected a dominant offensive performance. However, Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitike have failed to make an impact and have been labeled as bad investments. In addition, the team continues to struggle defensively, with very few alternatives to change the team’s fortunes due to injury struggles.
According to Opta Joe on X, Liverpool have matched a negative milestone last seen 60 years ago. The Reds have lost two consecutive games by more than three goals for the first time since April 1965, under Bill Shankly. Additionally, they have become the fourth team to defend a Premier League championship title and experience 6 or more losses in the first 12 games, following Blackburn Rovers in the 1995-96 season, Chelsea in 2015-16, and Leicester City in 2016-17.
Liverpool have reportedly taken a decision in regards Arne Slot’s tenure
After leading Liverpool to the championship in his first season as coach, Arne Slot entered the 2025-26 season with very high expectations. However, the team made a radical change to its roster, modifying key pieces like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz. When the new signings failed to perform well, several reports began questioning the coach’s future. A new report, however, seems to have changed the paradigm.
According to Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel, Liverpool have no plans to dismiss Arne Slot. While they acknowledge the team’s performance could improve, they are reportedly confident in the coach’s ability to turn the situation around this season. Both Arne and the players are seen as responsible for the team’s current standing. As a result, the Reds are not engaging in discussions with any potential new coaches.
Unlike the 2024-25 season, Slot does not have a squad that has spent several years together. Players like Isak, Ekitike, and Wirtz are still adjusting to playing as a cohesive unit, which poses a significant challenge. Just like when Chelsea made their multi-million dollar investment, the Reds require time to settle all the pieces into place. Therefore, judging Arne based on the current situation may seem somewhat unfair.