Liverpool’s title hopes have taken a hammer blow after it was confirmed Virgil Van Dijk requires knee surgery that’s likely to rule him out for the rest of the season.
Van Dijk was clattered by a horror challenge from Everton keeper Jordan Pickford in Saturday’s ill-tempered Merseyside derby, and Reds fans’ worst fears were confirmed after it was revealed their captain suffered damage to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The estimated time of the side-lines is 8 months, which would see Van Dijk out until next season, casting huge doubt on Liverpool’s chances of retaining the Premier League title.
In a post on social media, Van Dijk remained bullish, saying: “I’m now fully focused on my recovery and will do everything I can to be back as soon as possible. I’m ready for the challenge ahead.” Whether his teammates are also ready for the challenge is another question, as his absence will be a huge loss for the champions.
Former Blackburn and Chelsea striker Chris Sutton believes the injury could be terminal for Liverpool’s defence of their title. Speaking to the BBC, Sutton said: “He is their rock at the back, their organiser. Simply put, he is irreplaceable. They are going to somehow have to fill that void. He’s such a big player for them.”
Van Dijk has been instrumental in Liverpool’s success in recent seasons, and the Dutch international is now widely regarded as the world’s best centre back. His loss will be huge, and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes his former club must now strengthen in January’s transfer window if they want to enjoy a successful campaign.
“The big question you’re looking at now is, can Liverpool win the title without Van Dijk in there,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “I think it blows the title race open, I really do. I think Liverpool certainly have to go into the market in January, and not just because of Van Dijk’s injury, but Liverpool are weak in that area anyway. They lost Lovren before the start of the season, now the other players are very injury-prone.”
“I know the transfer window has closed, but they have to be ready on January 2 to bring someone in because they are really weak in that area and that could stop them going on to achieve what they want to achieve.”
No timeframe has been put on Van Dijk’s recovery just yet, with the Liverpool medical staff still drawing up a recovery plan. One thing is certain though: even if he makes a remarkable recovery, he’ll still miss the majority of the season as few players have recovered in less than 6 months.