Van Dijk return a precaution
Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has returned to the club early from international duty.
The Holland international opened the scoring as his country beat rivals Germany 3-0 in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday – but he will not make the trip to take on Belgium this week.
He picked up a rib problem in the 3-0 win over former side Southampton last month and has been allowed to head back to Merseyside early in order to continue his recuperation from the injury.
Manager Jurgen Klopp will hope that he will be able to call on the world’s most expensive defender for Saturday’s trip to take on Huddersfield Town in the next round of Premier League fixtures.
Van Dijk has started all eight of Liverpool’s Premier League games as well as both Champions League games so far – with his only rest coming in the 2-1 loss against Chelsea in the League Cup last month.
The £75m centre-back has quickly become a key player in Klopp’s side and the German will hope that he can move on from the rib problem soon as he looks to get his team back to winning ways after draws against Chelsea and Manchester City sandwiched a defeat in Italy against Napoli.
Van Dijk sat out the same fixture last season as Liverpool ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.
