Jurgen Klopp Gives Update on Extent of Virgil Van Dijk Injury After 3-0 Win Over Southampton
Jurgen Klopp says the injury Virgil Van Dijk sustained in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Southampton 'should not be too serious' after the Dutch defender was substituted for Joe Gomez on 55 minutes.
Liverpool have conceded just once in their first six Premier League games, with Van Dijk at the heart of the defence for every minute of that run up until his substitution.
But with the Reds leading by three at the break, Van Dijk was brought off after ten minutes of the second half with what appeared to be a rib injury - serving as the main talking point of a drab second period, and causing much concern among Liverpool fans.
But Klopp believes it was a recurrence of a minor rib issue he was feeling prior to Tuesday's 3-2 Champions League win over PSG, and shouldn't be anything to worry about.
“He already had a bruise in the ribs before the PSG game, which is very uncomfortable and today he got another hit there," Klopp was quoted as saying on the Liverpool website.
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“It’s not cool but should not be too serious.
"It should be absolutely OK, hopefully. I didn’t hear anything different.”
An injury to Van Dijk would have been the last thing anyone of a Red persuasion will have wanted to see, as he has been a colossus since joining from Southampton in January, helping to turn what was a questionable defence into one of the best in the division.
He has been a central part to Liverpool's seven wins from seven games in all competitions this season, so Klopp's reassuring words will come as a welcome relief with the cavalcade of important games on the immediate horizon.
Liverpool will face Chelsea in both the Carabao Cup and the Premier League in the next week, before travelling to Napoli and then hosting Manchester City to round off a nightmare run of fixtures.
