Liverpool take on Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium on Friday and before that the Reds have been sweating over the injury of Virgil Van Dijk.
Van Dijk picked up an injury while defending a counter-attack during Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Spurs last weekend. And immediately after the match, there were a few concerns regarding the fitness of the defender.
Speaking after the game, Jurgen Klopp said:
“We have to see. I asked him and I think it was in the counter-attack situation when Sissoko hit him… I don’t know if he twisted it or it is a knock.
“He was walking to the interviews with a big ice pack. I hope it’s nothing serious but I don’t know yet.”
This sent further shock waves amongst the Liverpool fan base since the Reds would be taking on Porto in the Champions League next week and the absence of the centre-back could prove to be a huge blow.
But Virgil Van Dijk was pictured training with the rest of the squad on Tuesday at Melwood which suggested the injury is not too serious and the Dutch international should recover in time.
And now speaking before the trip to St Mary’s, Jurgen Klopp has eased all doubts.
“Virgil trained yesterday and today, he has trained normally, and I heard nothing different,” Klopp told reporters.
“It all looks okay, quite good.
“He’s so important to us, not only as a player but as a person,
“I couldn’t say a bad word about him even if I wanted to.
“He’s a brilliant boy, but he knows that you need the boys around you. Defending is teamwork.
“Yes, he has improved us, and he has improved since he came here as well. He is a different player to when he was at Southampton.
“Champions League quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final help you as a player.”
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