Virgil van Dijk calls for unity as Liverpool slide to fourth straight defeat

The Reds' title defence has faltered badly, leaving them sixth in the table and without a clean sheet in nine games. Brentford capitalised on more defensive lapses as Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade struck early before Milos Kerkez briefly reduced the deficit. Igor Thiago's penalty - following Van Dijk's foul - restored the hosts' cushion, and though Mohamed Salah scored late, Liverpool ran out of time.

"It's difficult to say," Van Dijk admitted. "It's easy to blame individuals or set-pieces, but it's a collective thing. Everyone has to look in the mirror - myself included. We'll get out of this, but not by talking about it. We need each other - the same people who celebrated with us last year must be with us now even more."

Manager Arne Slot called it Liverpool's "worst" performance of their four straight defeats. "You can't compare them all," he said, "but this was the most concerning."

Liverpool now turn to a tough EFL Cup tie against Crystal Palace - who have already beaten them twice this season - before facing Aston Villa in the league. Van Dijk knows the pressure is on: "We have to turn our mindset quickly. Palace will come to Anfield to hurt us again, but we can't hide. The only way out is together."

Brentford's win lifted them to tenth, with Schade saying, "If we get the basics right, we can beat anyone. We knew we could hurt them - and we did."