Liverpool: How far are van Dijk and Joe Gomez from returning to full action?
Jurgen Klopp gave a vital but deflating update on both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on their much-anticipated comeback to first-team action.
Liverpool recorded their first Premier League win from their last three outings, registering back-to-back victories across all competitions for the first time since January – where they beat both London sides, West Ham and Tottenham, on the road.
The re-entry of Diogo Jota was absolutely essential in the absence of Roberto Firimno. He scored the winning goal which was also the only goal of the 1-0 ball game. It was his first visit to Molineux Stadium since making his switch to Anfield.
Firmino was the latest Red to visit the club doctor with a knock to his knee but the news is he will not be out for much longer – hoping he will be back by the time they all return from international duty.
Of the injury list and besides Firminio, it looks like Jota, Ben Davies and Henderson will be the only returning players for Jurgen Klopp in the near future – sadly informing us we will have to wait until the next campaign for the return of the rest.
Liverpool’s injury list
Jordan Henderson – Expect return date: April 17
Virgil van Dijk – Expect return date: May 1
Joe Gomez – Expect return date: August
Joel Matip – Expect return date: August
The Anfield boss confirmed there is no rush for Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk
Of the usual suspects from Liverpool’s first-team injury list, only captain Henderson will make it back before the season concludes in May.
That means both the Dutch and English defenders’ [Gomez] chances of Euro this year is over and non-existent at the moment.
There have been a number of rumours making their rounds. Once the extended break has come and gone, VVD would make a return and be ready for their last run of fixtures starting from the end of April.
These talks began as soon as the player started posting videos of his positive progress as he hit the outdoors.
Jurgen Klopp did not deflect or supply empty promises. Nope! Instead, he crushed any hope of an early comeback and indirectly confirmed that Nat Philippes, Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies will be the main three choices at CB.
The Reds manager on their Euro chances and preseason ambitions:
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"It is not my decision [for the Euros] but to be honest the information I have in the moment is that it will be unlikely. So it is not that I don’t let them go, because I don’t want to have to do that any way, it is because of the extent of the injuries.We all hope they will be ready to start pre-season with us, that’s what we all hope. With Joel it is pretty much the same. These are really serious injuries and it is now not about talking about which competition they play.As far as I know – and I am always open for positive surprises and they all of a sudden turn up in team training but no-one told me that. The two of them (Van Dijk and Gomez) look better than Joel as he is still in what looks like ski boots. Joe is not running.Virgil is already running but this is a real tough one. We will be completely over the moon when they are ready to train with us for the start of pre-season but the Euros I didn’t think about it.When do you have to be back to be ready to play in the Euros? The week before? The day the Euros start? I don’t know. I understand maybe the need of that but we cannot make this decision and we will not. They will be fit when they are fit. (Via: liverpoolecho.co.uk)"
“I am always open for positive surprises” lets you know Klopp and the Liverpool medical staff are not going to risk any of their three main centre-backs by rushing their reinstatement into the first-team.
For the up and coming 2021/22 campaign, the trio will be like new signings. If they are available from the first day of preseason training, the Reds term should be far better than the one they are experiencing at the moment.
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Before worrying about all of these players unavailable for selection, they must worry about making top four. If they don’t they will have to move heaven and earth to try and beat all their competitors for Champions League gold.