For the first time since 2015/16, Liverpool were beaten by their rivals Manchester United in both Premier League encounters as Arne Slot slumped to his 11th league defeat this season.
Liverpool are out of every competition and are six points behind United, who occupy third in the Premier League table as they try and salvage a Champions League spot.
Speaking after the loss on Sunday afternoon, Van Dijk has now addressed supporters as he reveals that this season simply has not been good enough.
"I’m not here to make excuses," the Dutch international stated. "It’s been a very disappointing season, an unacceptable season for us, and it’s tough. We shouldn’t feel sorry for ourselves whatsoever.
"We have to work, we have to turn this around and make sure that next season these things don’t happen because it’s not Liverpool."
Are Liverpool players not committed?
Many Liverpool players including Alexis Mac Allister have been pictured on trips abroad ahead of big games this season, something Van Dijk defended as he tried to explain that players also need breaks.
"I’m not sure it’s a holiday," he clarified. "It’s a city trip. But I think if you have one day off, and you don’t have many days off, they decide what they want to do with their families. We are not kids. Everyone is an adult."
"Really? I wish we had a couple more days off at times because I think it works both ways. You see Pep Guardiola giving (Manchester City) three days off, for example, the last weeks in a row and they are doing pretty well. It is finding the right balance."
The Reds have now been beaten 18 times across all competitions, the worst run in the league since the 2014/15 term. Fan frustration can be understood as, instead of training more and turning their form around, players are instead jetting off to European destinations despite the end of the season being weeks away.