Van Dijk could be out for season
LIVERPOOL are braced for the worst possible news about Virgil van Dijk after their defensive lynchpin suffered a potentially season-ending injury.
Van Dijk was taken to hospital after yesterday’s dramatic 2-2 draw against Everton for a scan on his left knee following a dreadful challenge by Jordan Pickford early in the first half.
The injury was clearly serious though Liverpool were furious at claims made by presenter Richard Keys on Qatar-based Bein Sports that the Netherlands international had damaged his anterior cruciate ligament and would be out for ‘seven to eight months’. Liverpool would not comment on those claims, though it is understood that the fear is that Van Dijk is set for a
major spell on the
sidelines and the anger they are feeling has been exacerbated by the fact Pickford escaped any kind of punishment for his out of control lunge.
Emotions were running high after Liverpool were remarkably denied an injury-time winner by VAR, with Jordan Henderson’s strike ruled out as Sadio Mane was adjudged to have been offside by millimetres. Liverpool were so incensed by the decision that they have demanded an explanation from the Premier League as to how VAR reached its conclusion.
The fears over Van Dijk, though, have now taken precedence. All will become clear after the scan results but the best case scenario would be medial ligament damage, which could potentially be overcome without surgery.
If, though, Liverpool’s record signing has damaged his cruciate ligament, he will need an operation — and he will not play again this season. ‘It is not good,’ said Jurgen Klopp. ‘Virg plays with pain and he never misses a game. I do not know what it is but it does not look good.’
Henderson told BT Sport: ‘Everyone keeps asking me so I guess it must not have been a good challenge. Jordan Pickford came up and apologised after the game and told me to tell Virgil.’
Van Dijk was not the only Liverpool player who had to go to hospital. Thiago Alcantara, the Spain midfielder, also required a scan after an appalling challenge from Richarlison, who later apologised. The Brazilian was sent off and faces a three-match ban.
‘Everyone who knows my background knows that I was never a violent player,’ Richarlison wrote on his website. ‘I did not enter that dispute with the intention of hurting Thiago.
‘I already sent a message to him apologising and I also do it here publicly. I hope he hasn’t been hurt and that everything is fine.’