Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has confirmed that Virgil van Dijk could return for the team’s first Premier League match against Norwich City.
Van Dijk hasn’t featured in a league match for Liverpool since October 2020. At that time, he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament when he was roughly tackled by Jordan Pickford.
The Dutchman missed the rest of the league, and also the Champions League and the Euros. Now, he has recovered from his injury and is fit to play. Klopp confirmed as much, saying he could return for the first game. He also spoke about Joe Gomez’s fitness, and mentioned he is ready to play as well.
“I think so, it looks like (they are available to play). But how it is with these kind of things, we have nothing to rush in this department,” Klopp told Liverpool FC’s official website.
The German boss also suggested that both van Dijk and Gomez will start only if he think they can last the entire 90 minutes.
“We just have to make then a decision on who will start, who will come on, things like this and if I think they are ready for 90 minutes then they are ready to start.
“If I think we have to take them off earlier, then it makes no sense, because centre-half is not actually a position where you want to change during a game and so we will see. But both look really good. An intense season is coming up. We will see how we decide that,” Klopp said.
Starting to click
Liverpool could only manage a third place finish last season, with injuries to key players. With all of them fit in time, the Reds will look to mount a title challenge.
With summer signing Ibrahima Konaté also in the wings, Liverpool’s backline issues may not be a thing next season. We will have to see if they can stand up to Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.
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