Virgil van Dijk thinks there was “encouragement” to take from two recent wins, but Liverpool won’t “shy away from the truth” about their current form.After a run of six defeats in seven matches, wins at Anfield over Aston Villa and Real Madrid reignited some enthusiasm around Liverpool.However, their subsequent 3-0 loss at Man City acted as a reminder of just how much work is needed to turn the Reds’ poor form around.Speaking in his pre-Nottingham Forest programme notes, Van Dijk said: “We went into the recent international period with mixed emotions, I would say.“Disappointment, for sure, at the manner in which we lost at Manchester City, but also encouragement at what came before that, with important, hard-fought and deserved victories over both Aston Villa and Real Madrid.“We don’t shy away from the truth at this club. We know that there is improvement to be found in our performance levels, and we know that the only way to find that improvement is through hard work and togetherness.“I have said many times that I believe in the quality and the character of this squad, but we have to show it where it matters, which is out there on the field.” With no international break until March, there is now a chance for Liverpool to get into a flow and gel together as a team.The only traditional ‘big-six club’ that Arne Slot‘s side face before Christmas is Tottenham, though the upcoming run also includes a home match against fourth-place Sunderland.“You only need to look at the fixture schedule to recognise how important the next few weeks and months are,” Van Dijk added.“From now until March we will play every three or four days, pretty much, meaning we need to be extremely focused, extremely committed and ready to rest, recover and go again very quickly.“What it also means, however, is that there is a great opportunity to show some real consistency, to put some results and performances together and to make real progress, both domestically and in Europe. That is absolutely our aim, and it starts on Saturday.” Liverpool’s last outing against Man City produced their first blank in front of goal since losing to Forest at home last season.It was a result Slot constantly reflected on throughout the season, but this is a new opponent who have played under Ange Postecoglou and now Sean Dyche.The captain continued: “We know that we will be facing a team, in Nottingham Forest, that is coming with a lot of motivation, and that will try to make life as difficult as possible for us.“They won at Anfield last season, albeit under a different manager, and we know that we will need to be on it from the first minute, given the strength and the quality that they possess.”Saturday’s opponents sit 19th in the Premier League with nine points from their opening 11 games. With three managers already this season, Liverpool will hope to exploit any uncertainty that exists within the team.