Virgil van Dijk is injured by Everton’s Jordan Pickford during Saturday’s derby. Liverpool have been dealt a devastating blow after scans revealed Virgil van Dijk damaged an anterior cruciate ligament against Everton and requires surgery.
No timeframe has been put on the defender’s absence and Liverpool sources are reluctant to rule out a return this season, but he is facing several months on the sidelines and the possibility of missing the remainder of the campaign cannot be discounted. The extent of the lay-off will be known only once surgery and a subsequent assessment have taken place and the operation has not yet been arranged.
Van Dijk was injured early in Saturday’s Merseyside derby by an appalling foul from the England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who escaped punishment from the referee, Michael Oliver, or the VAR official, David Coote.
Van Dijk was taken to hospital after the game for a scan and visited a consultant on Sunday when Liverpool’s worst fears were confirmed.
The club hope Van Dijk’s exceptional fitness record and strong mentality will enable him to recover quickly.
