Virgil van Dijk believes things are about to get unpredictable at Liverpool. ‘Anything can happen’, he says.
Virgil van Dijk isn’t entirely sure what will happen at Liverpool after the World Cup. But maybe that’s a good thing – the Reds could use a refresh.
The Dutchman explained after the win over Napoli that the mid-season tournament changes everything. No one should try and predict what happens when club football resumes in December.
“We try to find [consistency] but it’s quite difficult with everything that’s going on, playing three game in six days,” said Van Dijk, per the Liverpool Echo. “But we have three more games until the World Cup and then obviously some players will go to the World Cup and a lot will stay and work behind the scenes, play friendlies, get rest and be fully focused on what’s coming after the World Cup.
“It’s definitely a different first part of the season so anything can happen after the World Cup in my opinion. We try to finish as good as we can and then focus personally on the World Cup.”
Unpredictable at Liverpool
Van Dijk is completely right and Liverpool may even hold a strange advantage post-World Cup. Maybe of their top players won’t be at the tournament.
Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz won’t be there as their countries didn’t qualify. James Milner is retired from international football and won’t go, as is Joel Matip.
Immediately, four first-XI players are getting a mid-season break. There could be more, too, as Diogo Jota likely doesn’t go through injury. And who knows if Trent Alexander-Arnold is even picked? Harvey Elliott, also, is unlikely to go.
This could all be game-changing in the race for the top four. Liverpool look exhausted this season and a break gives them a reset – we may see the best of some stars after the World Cup.
As Van Dijk says, anything can happen. And that might mean we see a completely rejuvenated Liverpool.
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