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Tag: Van Dijk

  • I was wrong not to send off Pickford for Van Dijk challenge, referee admits

    I was wrong not to send off Pickford for Van Dijk challenge, referee admits

    Premier League ref Michael Oliver admits he was wrong not to send off Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for his challenge on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk earlier this season.

    Van Dijk’s season was cut short by the incident, as he was forced to undergo knee surgery.

    Oliver is quoted by the Liverpool Echo: “It was a big game, both teams were flying in.

    “The assistant had given offside and there is a delay in the flag, as we had this season. Jordan then comes out to Virgil.

    “The thought initially was ‘it can’t be a penalty because it’s offside so we need to check the offside first’. I think I said to the VAR ‘if it’s not offside, I’m going to give a penalty’.

    “I have watched it back so many times. I genuinely don’t think Pickford has done anything apart from try to spread himself but he did it in the wrong way, as the injury shows.

    “We have all, myself included, not thought about the challenge as much as we should have done.

    “We could still have given offside and sent Pickford off. What I was surprised about looking at it afterwards was that nothing was expected on-field in terms of a red card. None of the players were asking for that.”

  • Fabinho joins Van Dijk on Liverpool’s defensive injury list

    Fabinho joins Van Dijk on Liverpool’s defensive injury list

    Liverpool have suffered another injury blow, with Brazilian Fabinho joining Virgil van Dijk on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League win over Midtjylland.

    Midfielder Fabinho has been filling in for Van Dijk in the centre of defence since the Dutchman suffered a serious knee injury in the Merseyside derby against Everton.

    “It’s exactly the last thing we needed,” said manager Juergen Klopp, after Fabinho limped off in the first half of the 2-0 win.

    “I know he felt a hamstring, and that’s not good. He said he could have played on but no sprints, which doesn’t help.

    “We will see, we will know more after a scan. But clearly it isn’t good,” he added.

    With centre-back Joel Matip also ruled out with injury, Klopp brought on teenager Rhys Williams to partner Joe Gomez at the back.

    “Williams, he’s only a 19-year-old and I think he’s played more Champions League games than Premier League games —- that’s rare.

    “We’re doing really well, but its a shock for a team because now we have to sort (out) that injury,” added Klopp.

    However, Klopp accepted that the English Premier League (EPL) champions were in a difficult period.

    “It was a tough night. It’s a bit like in a marriage, there are good and bad times.

    “It’s not a bad time but it’s a tricky time. 100 percent we have to stick together and fight harder and that’s what the boys did tonight,” he said.

    The injury is likely to rule Fabinho out of Brazil’s November World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay.

  • Pep Guardiola sends message to Van Dijk

    Pep Guardiola sends message to Van Dijk

    Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola insists he hopes Virgil van Dijk can get back to playing as soon as he can at Liverpool.

    There’s talk of Van Dijk’s season being over after suffering a knee injury in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Everton.

    Guardiola said, “I cannot speak about how it will affect Liverpool. Jurgen (Klopp) can talk about this.

    “We wish him to get well soon and have a good recovery. I don’t like opponents losing important players for a long time. I don’t know him much but he looks strong so he’s going to come back well.

    “We’ll wait for him to come back to the Premier League because the league is better with good players on the pitch and he is one of the best. Get well soon and all the best for him, his family and all of Liverpool.”

  • Liverpool’s Van Dijk to undergo knee surgery

    Liverpool’s Van Dijk to undergo knee surgery

    Centre-back Virgil van Dijk has damaged knee ligaments and is set to undergo surgery, English Premier League (EPL) clubside Liverpool confirmed on Sunday.

    The Dutch defender was injured in Saturday’s Merseyside derby draw against Everton.

    He was substituted early in the game when Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a reckless challenge in the box, which left Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp fuming.

    “Liverpool can confirm Virgil van Dijk will undergo surgery on the knee injury he sustained during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Everton,” the club said in a statement.

    “The centre-back damaged knee ligaments following an incident involving Blues goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after six minutes at Goodison Park.”

    The club did not specify a timescale for the 29-year-old defender’s return to action.

    However, cruciate ligament injuries normally take months to recover from.

    It has potentially ruled Van Dijk out for the rest of the season while also dealing a blow to the Netherlands ahead of the Euros next year.

    Reigning league champions Liverpool are second in the standings after five games, three points behind Everton.

    An ever-present leader in the back line, the 75 million pounds (96.85 million dollars) club-record signing has played 50 games in each of the last two seasons for Liverpool.
    These have included every league match.

    Liverpool are also short in central defence with Joe Gomez and Joel Matip the only fit senior centre-backs available ahead of a congested schedule.

    They play six times in 18 days before next month’s international break.

    Liverpool begin their UEFA Champions League group stage campaign at Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday.

    Van Dijk’s absence leaves another hole at the back with goalkeeper Alisson Becker also sidelined with injury.

  • Ballon d’Or 2019: Who will succeed Modric ?

    Ballon d’Or 2019: Who will succeed Modric ?