Defender Virgil van Dijk will probably be sidelined for a while due to a hamstring injury he sustained in Liverpool’s defeat to Brentford. Virgil van Dijk, a centre defender for Liverpool, Premier League and also for the Netherlands national team, was born in the Netherlands on July 8, 1991. Van Dijk is renowned for his power, perseverance, and skill in the air and is One of the best defenders in the world. In addition to being in second place for the Ballon d’Or and Best FIFA Men’s Player, he is the first defender to have won the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award.
WHAT’S GOING ON?
GOAL can confirm that Van Dijk is undoubtedly out of Liverpool’s FA Cup match against Wolves on January 7 and is also questionable for their upcoming Premier League matchup against Brighton on January 14. Despite Jurgen Klopp’s precautionary move, the Dutch defender was unexpectedly replaced at halftime as Liverpool fell to Brentford 3-1. There hasn’t yet been a firm return date, and the injury is worse than first thought.
THE BIGGER PICTURE:
The loss of Van Dijk is a crushing blow for The Reds, as Liverpool’s defense already seems to be insecure enough this year without additional turbulence. A summary of Klopp’s team’s rocky season thus far, they were soundly defeated by Brentford and would have lost by more goals if VAR hadn’t flagged fouls.
Since key players Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have already missed the majority of the season so far due to injury, Liverpool fans will be hoping that Van Dijk’s absence won’t be too long.
Additionally, GOAL can confirm that Liverpool hopes to have James Milner and Roberto Firmino back for the FA Cup match against Wolves, which is some good news for the Reds. The Brazilian has been sidelined with a calf problem, and veteran Milner has been struggling with a hamstring issue.
Cody Gakpo, who came from PSV Eindhoven at the start of January, is also expected to be ready for the cup game and may potentially make his professional debut. Liverpool was able to swoop in and close the deal after the Dutchman’s standout World Cup performance, despite the player being heavily linked with a move to Manchester United.
Liverpool will be wondering what to do about their precarious injury situation while all attention will be on winning and moving on in the FA Cup at the weekend. They may need to return to the transfer market if Van Dijk’s injury is anticipated to keep him out of action for some time.
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