Klopp: Van Dijk will rebound from injury
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is confident defender Virgil van Dijk will come back stronger as the Dutchman undergoes knee surgery and faces a battle to play again this season.
The Premier League champion said on Sunday that Van Dijk has damaged knee ligaments following a challenge by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during Saturday's Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Van Dijk's knee operation has yet to be scheduled and Klopp did not put a timetable on the center- back's return.
“A few things are clear... he now will be out for a while,” Klopp told Liverpool's website. “I expected it pretty much on Saturday after the game immediately, especially when I saw the challenge back.
“These situations are absolutely rubbish. You don't need it, but you have to get over it and Virgil will get over it, 100%. We are in contact. We are there for him, he knows that and we will wait for him like a good wife is waiting when the husband is in jail.”
Pickford will not face retrospective action over his challenge after the Football Association determined the incident was seen at the time by the match officials, including VAR.
Klopp said midfielder Naby Keita could feature in Wednesday's Champions League match at Ajax Amsterdam after he resumed training following a negative COVID- 19 result.
The 25- year- old had tested positive for the virus while on international duty with Guinea.
Thiago Alcantara will undergo a fitness test ahead of the trip to
Tuesday’s results: Champions League Group Stage: Dynamo Kiev vs Juventus ( late); Zenit St. Petersburg vs Club Brugge ( late); Barcelona vs Ferencvaros ( late); Chelsea vs Sevilla ( late); Rennes vs Krasnodar ( late); Paris Saint- Germain vs Manchester United ( late); RB Leipzig vs Istanbul Basaksehir ( late); Lazio vs Borussia Dortmund ( late).
Wednesday on TV: Real Madrid vs Shakhtar Donetsk ( live on Sport5 at 8 p. m.); Salzburg vs Lokomotiv Moscow ( live on Sport5+ Live at 8 p. m.); Bayern Munich vs Atletico Madrid ( live on Sport5 at 10 p. m.); Ajax vs Liverpool ( live on Sport5+ at 10 p. m.); Manchester City vs Porto ( live on Sport5+ Stars at 10 p. m.); Inter Milan vs Borussia Moenchengladbach ( live on Sport5+Gold at 10 p. m.).
Amsterdam following a late challenge on the Spanish midfielder by Richarlison, which led to the Brazilian being sent off in the 90th minute.
“He got a knock, a proper knock,” said the German boss. “It's not even close to being as serious [ as Van Dijk]. But will he be ready for Wednesday? I don't know yet. We will see.”
Guardiola: Aguero must earn new contract
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Sergio Aguero can still play an important role for the club after returning from a serious knee injury, but the Argentine has to show he can deliver on the pitch to earn a new contract.
Aguero, who joined City in 2011 and is the club's all- time leading scorer with 254 goals, is out of contract at the end of the season and can speak to overseas clubs from January.
The 32- year- old sustained the injury in June and made his return in Saturday's 1- 0 home win over Arsenal.
“Sergio now has to show, like every one of us, that he deserves to continue here – keep playing well, scoring goals and winning games – and after that the club and I will decide,” said Guardiola.
City, which is 10th in the Premier League with seven points from four matches, begins its Champions League campaign on Wednesday against Porto.
( Reuters)