Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is set to be suspended after receiving a straight red card against Newcastle yesterday.
The Reds skipper was sent off having taken out Alexander Isak when the forward was through on goal. It looked perhaps a little harsh on Virgil. But there’s no chance of the decision being overturned, as it was with Alexis Mac Allister last week.
Instead, Liverpool will simply have to manage without their captain for the time being. According to the Premier League’s Fantasy Football site though, they are set to lose Van Dijk for just one single game.
The website includes a note against the 32-year-old’s profile, saying ‘Suspended until 16 Sep.’
Obviously, that’s still around three weeks away, but with an international break in-between, Van Dijk looks set to miss just next Sunday’s game against Aston Villa. Phew.
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Van Dijk set to miss Villa clash
There is still yet to be an official confirmation of just how long Liverpool will be without Van Dijk. But by the letter of the law, the Dutchman should only miss a single game.
That will be a huge relief to Jurgen Klopp, who was starting to look very thin on the ground in terms of centre-back options.
It’s still unknown just how severe the muscle injury that kept Ibrahima Konate out of yesterday’s game is. But at this point it would be a surprise if he were to feature against Villa at Anfield next week.
As a result, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip looks set to renew their partnership against Unai Emery’s in-form side.
Jarell Quansah showed he has plenty of promise with a cameo at Newcastle. Unless something happens to one of the more senior options though, there’s no chance he starts.
Of course, there is a third option for Liverpool. With the transfer market still open until Friday, they could go and do what fans have been begging them to all summer: sign a defender.
With Virgil set to miss just the one game though, the Reds won’t be panicked into a signing. Matip and Gomez did well at St James’ Park. There’s still life in this old partnership yet. Or at least, that’s what we’ll have to hope.