Win, lose or draw Virgil van Dijk always speaks after matches and the Liverpool captain did it again following the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Alexander Isak of Liverpool look dejected during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield on November 22, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and Alexander Isak look dejected during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield on November 22, 2025
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has offered his reaction to the desperately disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. It was the defending champions' sixth loss in their last seven Premier League matches.
The Reds started well enough in their first outing after the international break. But the wheels fell off after Murillo's controversial 33rd-minute opener was allowed to stand despite Dan Ndoye appearing to be standing in an offside position in front of the returning Alisson Becker.
More poor defending allowed Forest, who started the day second from bottom in the table, to double the advantage less than a minute after the start of the second half through Nicolo Savona.
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And a dreadful afternoon for Liverpool was complete when Morgan Gibbs-White scored in the 78th minute. That was the spark for a number of home fans to head for the Anfield exits as their side played out the remaining time without ever really troubling Matz Sels in the visiting goal.
The loss means the Reds now find themselves 11th in the standings with a -2 goal difference having lost back-to-back games 3-0.
And Van Dijk, speaking to Premier League Productions after the contest, said: "We concede too many easy goals. They scored obviously from a set-piece again.
"You can ask if he (Ndoye) was in front of Alisson, but it counted, so we're 1-0 down. We were not good in terms of battles, challenges, the fight, too rushed. It's a very difficult situation at the moment.
"There was nervousness after we conceded, but not before. We tried to rush things and that's human when you're in a difficult moment.
"We don't get out of it by just speaking about it. It will take a lot of hard work.
"It's definitely a problem. I take responsibility. But I think everyone in the team, not only the starters but the guys around as well, have to take responsibility as well because football is a team game, we all do it together and we need everyone at their best. In order to win games, you have to take responsibility.
"That's what I've mentioned as well. Now you have to digest this, take it on the chin and work harder. Obviously I've been saying it quite a lot already this season and it's not been working out so far, but we have to keep going.
"Everyone is disappointed, like they should be, because losing at home to Nottingham Forest is, in my eyes, very bad. That's the least I can say about it.
"Those goals we conceded are far too easy and we all have to look in the mirror.
"I've been at this club so long now and we've been through adversity. We will bounce back but it doesn't happen overnight. I'm not a quitter and we will keep going.
"I can't decide obviously what the supporters are doing. If they leave early, obviously I can understand the frustration fully.
"But I know the fans have been through thick and thin with us over all those years and that's how Liverpool is. I'm pretty sure that they will always stick with us regardless.
"And when we come out of this - because we will come out of this - they will be there with us as well."
Liverpool host PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday before returning to Premier League action at West Ham United on Sunday week.