Liverpool must ensure van Dijk’s injury isn’t a Laporte moment
Liverpool can’t let Virgil van Dijk’s injury sink them.
We’ve seen how important key players can be to top sides. Manchester City couldn’t cope with the injury Aymeric Laporte suffered last season and Jurgen Klopp needs to ensure the same doesn’t happen now.
Pep Guardiola failed to find a system that could alleviate the loss of Laporte and they struggled to find consistency and strength with their backline of John Stones, Nicolas Otamendi and the rest of the boys.
Liverpool could be on shakier ground, to be honest. Dejan Lovren was allowed to leave Merseyside to Zenit and Klopp decided that the team didn’t need a replacement.
The arrival of Thiago meant that Fabinho could be trusted to slot back into defense when the occasion demanded it, but it does mean that Klopp was left with van Dijk and two injury prone footballers as back-up.
Joel Matip was chosen to start against Everton but his record is patchy; as is Gomez’s. If either of them requires treatment at any stage this season, Liverpool will be in an incredibly precarious situation.
Klopp has spoken about the strength of the unit and when things are going well that is a positive. The midfield spine of Gini Wijnaldum, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson does provide more protection than what City can offer and that is an olive branch we can all clasp.
On their day, Matip and Gomez are excellent defenders while Alisson provides superb protection in goal. The problem is Alisson isn’t around right now, Gomez is out of form and Matip will struggle for fitness given that he’s only just come back into the side.
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If this team wants to retain the Premier League title, then they need to make sure the loss of van Dijk isn’t going to turn into their Laporte moment.