Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk fit to start against Newcastle
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit to Newcastle United, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed that Virgil van Dijk stands fit to start against the Magpies. (h/t Liverpool Echo)
The Dutch defender suffered an injury in the match against Brentford early in January, which kept him out of action for a significant period of time.
The former Southampton man saw himself substituted during that match due to a minor knock, but the club has since confirmed that it was not a serious injury, and he is ready to go for the upcoming fixture.
Even though he has not been in the best of forms, having a presence like him in the backline is of major importance as the leading factor he brings to the team in the absence of Jordan Henderson is unparalleled.
Liverpool fans will certainly be eager to see Van Dijk back in action and will be hoping that this break in action for Virgil would have helped him focus on the basics. Even though he is one of the best in the business, this season, as earlier mentioned, VVD has looked like a shadow of himself.
Big Virg back for the Reds
The 31-year-old is one of the best centre-backs in the world. His presence in the team has been sorely missed. Van Dijk’s return will certainly be a major boost for Liverpool, who have been without their defensive stalwart for a significant amount of time.
Moreover, Liverpool have had a sluggish start to their Premier League campaign, and they will need van Dijk to fire on all cylinders to push for a top-four finish. Hopefully, this duration away from the pitch might have sparked a change or two in his approach and we could see the Reds get back to their absolute best when we take on Newcastle.
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As the season progresses, the club will be relying on their talismanic defender to be at his best if they are to secure a top-four finish and also potentially get UCL football for next season which is significant in terms of signing new players in the summer.
