LFC Daytrippers contributor Grizz Khan has been discussing the news regarding Virgil van Dijk’s injury following the weekend’s Merseyside derby at Everton.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were pegged back twice by the Toffees but it could be argued that the biggest disappointment for Liverpool coming away from Goodison Park is the Dutchman now faces a ‘lengthy lay-off’.
The 29-year-old sustained the ACL injury as the result of a challenge from Jordan Pickford that went unpunished and the Reds saw what would have been a late winner denied after the England stopper conceded a soft goal – adding to the frustration felt by the Anfield faithful.
When discussing the impact Van Dijk’s injury is likely to have on the Premier League champions, here is what Khan had to say:
“It’s a massive loss, I’d like to think the squad is good enough to at least stay strong until January. I wouldn’t write off Liverpool because of one player [missing].
“I think that would be disrespectful to the other players, the likes of [Joel] Matip, the likes of [Joe] Gomez who have all played active roles in us being where we are.
“If there is one player [you don’t want to lose]… There’s a reason why he played every single minute of last season, it is because he is Virgil van Dijk and it’s because [of] how good he is, how strong he is, what a leader he is.
“When you take away all of those attributes suddenly from a team, listen, there is no point kidding ourselves in saying that we will be better than that.
“This will hurt them and shock them far more than it’s hurt and shocked us.”
Will Van Dijk's injury significantly impact Liverpool's chances of retaining their title?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts on Khan’s comments regarding Van Dijk’s absence…
The £72m-rated player appeared in all 38 of Liverpool’s Premier League games last season (via Transfermarkt) as they ran away with the title.
According to WhoScored, his average performance in the English top flight during the 2019/20 campaign was an impressive 7.32/10 and so you can understand why Khan feels the team won’t be any better without him.
According to the BBC’s Chris Sutton, this injury could have “massive implications” on the club’s bid to retain their title and we agree that this could be a significant loss.
It will be interesting to see whether Klopp’s side dip into the transfer market for a centre-back come January having decided not to bolster their options at centre-back during the summer window.