If Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s strategy for the international break is to keep his fingers crossed, his stance on Virgil van Dijk may be controversial.
If Jurgen Klopp’s strategy during the international break is to cross his fingers and hold his breath, his stance on Virgil van Dijk may be in stark contrast.
Unlike other club managers, the Liverpool manager will undoubtedly spend the break away in the hope that all players will return healthy
relatively underemployed in their country.
As for his captain, however, Klopp can be grateful that Van Dijk has been getting minutes for the Netherlands in recent days. The Reds skipper led the Oranje to a 3-0 win over Greece six days ago before helping Ireland to a 2-1 win at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday night.
It highlighted the Dutchman’s contribution to playing more than 180 minutes of football during the break, which is not usually welcome for Klopp, but has proved a useful by-product in Premier League games this time around. Van Dijk, who was sent off just before half-time in a last-gasp win at Newcastle United on August 27 and had his two-match ban extended for his reaction, will miss almost a month in the Premier League.
This means that when Liverpool are ready to call him up again, he will have played more than 210 minutes without him, which is not ideal for a new captain looking to survive his inherited responsibilities.
The No.4 was off his back in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa before the break and will no longer be available for Klopp when Wolves host them on September 16. And the Europa League campaign is about to begin. In the LASK almost a week later, the head coach is unlikely to risk his captain in Austria either, as he aims to fully exploit his squad in the early stages of Group E.
With the visit of West Ham United on September 24 circled in Van Dijk’s calendar, game time for Ronald Koeman’s Dutch side will be welcome for the AXA center staff, especially with Ibrahima Konate sidelined. injury after last month’s win over Bournemouth.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is also struggling with a hamstring problem, so Liverpool can’t afford too many out-of-form or out-of-form players in the defensive department, so from Klopp’s point of view,
the international break has a lot to do with it. at least kept Van Dijk sharp. return trip on home operations later this month. A rare advantage for the Reds.
