Liverpool: It's official Van Dijk won't be able to play

As expected since Saturday, Liverpool will have to deal without one of its best players, Virgil Van Dijk, for many months after his injury in the Merseyside Derby.
Nothing smiles to Liverpool in recent weeks 

After the humiliation suffered against Aston Villa before the international truce (7-2), Liverpool lost Virgil Van Dijk for long months this Saturday in the draw between Liverpool and Everton (2-2).

Out with injury after a tackle by Jordan Pickford in the sixth minute of play, Virgil Van Dijk suffered a knee ligament injury, as confirmed by Liverpool in a statement.

However, the Reds did not specify how long his defender will be absent, although it is estimated at eight or nine months.

Liverpool lose big with Virgil van Dijk injury

Jürgen Klopp will have to react quickly to fill this hole in defense, Van Dijk had to be replaced, and a more thorough assessment of the injury revealed, that an operation will be necessary!

At this stage there is no definite timeframe for his return to play, after the operation, Van Dijk will start a rehabilitation program with the club's medical team to enable him to reach full fitness as soon as possible, ”read the statement provided by the Reds on Sunday.

However, it was very well imagined, without being specialists either, that a rupture of the cruciate ligament was a possibility and that the Dutch international would be absent for most of the season.

This Monday morning, everyone is wondering how Jürgen Klopp will manage without his central defender who brought him to the Champions League and the Championship.

A huge lack, statistics prove it!

Will the German technician trust the duo Joël Matip-Joe Gomez? Will he try to bring down Fabinho? The former Monegasque having played in central defense against Chelsea with the Dutchman. But the statistics won't really reassure Klopp. Out of 95 matches played with VVD, Liverpool conceded on average one goal every 111 minutes.

Joe Gomez (76 matches, goal every 100 minutes) and Joël Matip (87 matches, goal every 96 minutes) can't say the same.

Even worse, in his 95 Premier League matches, Virgil Van Dijk was only dribbled eight times. Matip (36 times) and Gomez (42 times) are far from that. It is also a problem offensively. Since January 2018, VVD has scored 10 goals in the Premier League. It is the second defender who scores the most after Patrick van Aanholt of Crystal Palace (11). Klopp still has to wonder what happens to him after this very surprising Mersey Derby (2-2)… The German coach will therefore have to tinker, while waiting to possibly recruit during the next winter mercato.