da realbet： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Injury News series, which considers the impact of the latest updates on players’ fitness.
da dobrowin： Jurgen Klopp confirmed that Virgil van Dijk sustained a dead leg in the match against Tottenham and he is now expected to be rested on Wedneday, as per Liverpool Echo.
What’s the latest?
There was more injury concern following the weekend victory as Mo Salah aggravated a problem in his ankle, an issue he first sustained against Leicester a few weeks ago.
The dead leg sustained by the Netherlands captain, on the other hand, isn’t believed to be too serious and therefore he should be back by Saturday.
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However, it seems that Klopp will trial a relatively unfamiliar centre-back pairing for the League Cup game against the Gunners, and that could be a worry considering the lack of recent form of both Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez, two players who have been slated by the supporters of late.
Salah is also likely to be rested for the clash, but with youngsters such as Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones impressing in the previous round, that is less of a problem area for the Reds.
Alternatives in van Dijk’s absence
A lot has been made about the impact the 28-year-old has had since arriving at Anfield, and in truth it has got to the stage where Liverpool may suffer without him, as he so rarely misses a game.
Any side would miss the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year but with Joel Matip also sidelined, the Reds are more vulnerable than some may expect, and if he was to be missing long-term then Liverpool’s title push could take a hit.
Both Lovren and Gomez have been on the fringes of the starting XI for the most part so far this season, with just nine starts between them. As a result, a chance to play against Arsenal will allow them to build up some much-needed sharpness.
Creating an understanding between themselves and Allison is also important for future instances in which van Dijk and Matip are both sidelined through injury.
A solid showing will likely fill the German with confidence that he can trust in his squad players, and that could allow van Dijk to be rested more regularly over the course of a gruelling, trophy-chasing season.