Van Dijk's new Liverpool message speaks volumes around Arne Slot sack calls

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has posted an emotional plea for unity on Instagram as the Reds endure nine defeats in 12 matches, with growing pressure on manager Arne Slot

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has demanded unity and vowed the Reds will recover from their dismal spell of form. The centre-back insisted his side won't surrender as they attempt to reverse a catastrophic run of nine losses from their previous 12 outings.

Arne Slot is under mounting pressure to be sacked by the Anfield board with their Premier League title defence crumbling following a string of woeful displays. The Dutch boss has been unable to halt Liverpool's shocking form in the last two months, and across their previous three fixtures, against Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven, they have conceded 10 goals.

Liverpool tumbled out of the automatic qualification spots in the Champions League following Wednesday's 4-1 thrashing by PSV at Anfield. In the English top-flight, they languish in the bottom half of the standings, three points behind the top four and 11 points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Ahead of Sunday's visit to West Ham, Van Dijk acknowledges the squad are enduring their most difficult spell but maintains they won't surrender without a battle, making clear the dressing room fully supports the manager still.

In a post on his Instagram story, he wrote: "We're facing one of the toughest moments of our journey, but we refuse to let this define us. We will rise from this. I believe in this team with everything I have.

"Nothing has ever been handed to us - we've fought for everything, and this moment is no different.

"We won't give in. Won't give up. Every challenge is an opportunity. We must grow together, lift each other up, and show the strength that lies within us.

"To the fans, keep supporting us. We all need each other more than ever!"

Van Dijk's statement follows claims that Slot has lost control of the squad, just months after steering Liverpool to their second Premier League title. After the full-time whistle on Wednesday, there was a smattering of boos at Anfield after another abject display.

Ex-defender Jamie Carragher has questioned whether certain Liverpool stars can deliver for the Merseyside giants.

The 47 year old shifted some responsibility away from the Liverpool manager, later conceding that the Dutchman has seven days to rescue his position, whilst launching criticism at the Reds players.

The scrutiny arrives as Slot's three pivotal stars - Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, whose participation has been limited by fitness issues, and Van Dijk - endure difficult spells.

"I'm angry with the players, if I'm being totally honest. I'm really angry with the players," Carragher said.

"But it does get to a stage with any manager at any club where I always use this word - untenable - where it can't go on any longer.

"I'm not there personally in terms of the manager but I know a lot of the supporters will be."

Carragher continued: "Van Dijk now can't help other players. He needs help himself. And that just means he's a normal centre-back, like I was at one stage. Maybe he's not super-human right now.

"But they've been that good for the football club... I look at some of the others - step up. Can you only play well when they play well, or when they carry you?

"Their (Van Dijk and Salah) season last season was off the scale and everybody else enjoyed that by winning the league and they are all league champions and have that on their CV.

"But when they (Van Dijk and Salah) are not there, where are the other players? That's why I get angry about when you talk about the manager - although that's inevitable and something could happen - but in terms of the players and the way they are performing now, that is not acceptable for Liverpool Football Club.

"I maybe thought this last season, but are some of them good enough if Liverpool want to win the biggest trophies? We saw them against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, we saw them against PSG away from home last season, woeful performances and they've been carried by some of the greatest players the club has ever had.

"This is maybe a snapshot of the future of Liverpool when Mo Salah moves on, when Virgil van Dijk moves on and when Alisson moves on."