Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp fears that he will not have Virgil van Dijk at his disposal for the time being. The defender fell out early on Saturday in the Merseyside derby against Everton (2-2) with a knee injury.
“It doesn’t look good,” Klopp said Sky Sports at his press conference about Van Dijk’s injury. “He comes into action almost in every game of ours and normally always plays with pain. The fact that he couldn’t continue playing now doesn’t bode well.”
29-year-old Van Dijk was torpedoed after ten minutes of play in the penalty area by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The captain of Orange, who was narrowly offside and therefore did not receive a penalty, remained on the ground for a long time and was replaced by Joe Gomez.
Chances are that Van Dijk will have to pass up Wednesday’s encounter with Ajax in the Champions League due to his injury, but Klopp cannot say anything about that yet. “I don’t know how serious it is exactly, but like I said: it doesn’t look good. What became clear to me is that it was a penalty anyway.”
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Virgil van Dijk was kicked out of the game after ten minutes of play by Everton keeper Jordan Pickford. (Photo: ANP)
Klopp does not understand a rejected goal
In a spectacular final phase, Liverpool seemed to draw the longest at Goodison Park, but a hit by Jordan Henderson was disallowed because the VAR ruled that Sadio Mané was narrowly offside. On the face of it, the forward seemed just on par with the last Everton player.
“The players, like me, don’t understand how Henderson’s goal was disallowed,” said a frustrated Klopp. “I am a big supporter of the VAR, but then it has to make the right decision. This just can never be offside.”
The draw at Everton leaves Liverpool without a win for the second game in a row, but Klopp is positive about the form of his team. “I think this was our best away game under my leadership. The guys have played incredibly well against a team overflowing with confidence.”
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