Jurgen Klopp outlines why key Liverpool man was absent against Arsenal

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk missed the trip to Liverpool thanks to illness

The heavily anticipated match between Liverpool and Arsenal yesterday saw the absence of the Reds’ star player Virgil van Dijk. The centre-back missed out on the third round of the FA Cup due to a viral infection, as revealed by German head coach Jurgen Klopp.

His absence, however, did not stop Liverpool from once again derailing Arsenal’s season. Klopp had the defending prodigy Jarell Quansah replace the Dutch ace and partnered him up with Ibrahima Konate. The duo paid their manager back for his faith and held the Arsenal attack to a scoreless night.

Despite the 32-year-old’s absence, Klopp’s system of defense enabled the Reds to enjoy their first win in the FA Cup with 2-0 triumph over the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon. They also currently top the Premier League rankings with an impressive 45 points to their name.

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk missed the trip to Liverpool thanks to illness. — Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool’s star defender Virgil van Dijk misses out on the club’s first FA Cup win

As quoted by the Liverpool ECHO, the Reds boss remains hopeful of van Dijk’s comeback for his club’s next game on Wednesday and explained the reason behind the defender’s last-minute withdrawal by saying:

“Yes, I’m hopeful but I don’t know. He came (with us) and it’s difficult for Virg to look s*** but he did, so we sent him home. We had a few days to prepare for the most difficult game and with a slightly different team and last second Virgil couldn’t play and that didn’t help.”

Having won 88 aeriel duels and 74 tackles, the Dutch player has been a key factor in the Reds’ formidable defense this season. While Liverpool are a formidable side with him in the squad, there are options who have the potential to step up when needed. With the Carabao Cup semifinal first leg against Fulham up next, Klopp is better off preserving Van Dijk for Wednesday. After all, we are ;potentially just three wins away from a trophy and it is in the rebuild’s best interests to attain one as soon as possible.

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Van Dijk is certainly one of the best defenders in the league and has rediscovered his best after a forgettable 2022-23 campaign. His importance to Liverpool both as a leader and as a footballer cannot be underestimated. Thankfully, Klopp realises it and isn’t foolhardy enough to play the Dutchman when not fit. There is still much football to be played for and it is imperative that we make the optimal use of our best players.