“I got a knock…” – Liverpool star admits to a “very strange” injury scare after Club World Cup clash.
Liverpool had a couple of injury concerns to monitor after several of their players featured at the World Cup on Saturday.
Four members of Andoni Iraola’s squad were involved as the Netherlands cruised to a 5-1 victory over Sweden in Houston. Cody Gakpo grabbed a brace for the Dutch side, while Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch also featured. Sweden, meanwhile, had Alexander Isak in the starting lineup.
Despite the convincing win, there were some worrying moments for Liverpool supporters. Gakpo was spotted with an ice pack on his right arm after being substituted, while Van Dijk appeared uncomfortable during parts of the match despite completing the full 90 minutes.
Speaking to NOS after the game, via Sportnieuws.nl, Van Dijk revealed that he suffered a knock but insisted it does not appear to be a major issue.
“I got a knock on my hip and suddenly couldn’t feel my thigh anymore, which was a very strange sensation. It was probably related to a nerve. I don’t think it’s anything serious, but we’ll see,” the Liverpool and Netherlands captain explained.
Liverpool fans will be hoping neither Van Dijk nor Gakpo faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The sight of both players showing signs of discomfort naturally raised concerns, but there is optimism that their issues are only minor.
The Netherlands’ dominant victory has all but secured qualification for the knockout rounds, meaning Ronald Koeman could choose to rotate his squad for the final Group F match against already-eliminated Tunisia. That could allow players carrying minor knocks, or those at risk of suspension, to be rested.
With the Round of 32 expected to take place on June 29 or 30, both Van Dijk and Gakpo would have valuable recovery time if Koeman opts to leave them out of the Tunisia clash.
Iraola will no doubt be hoping his Dutch counterpart takes that approach, especially with Tunisia having already conceded nine goals in two matches and playing only for pride. The last thing Liverpool supporters want is to see key players aggravate minor injuries and turn them into more serious long-term problems.
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