A large number of Liverpool supporters have been reacting fearfully after defender Virgil van Dijk was substituted off with a rib injury against Southampton on Saturday.
The centre back, on a reported £180,000-per-week at Anfield [Source: Spotrac], limped off against his former side – although Jurgen Klopp later told the Sun that the incident was nothing serious.
That hasn’t stopped Reds fans fretting about the possibility of losing their star central defender, with some of them offering to donate their own ribs to the Dutchman.
Live 4 Liverpool has rounded up some of the best tweets below.
https://twitter.com/baileywilson313/status/1043518986678358016
https://twitter.com/aby_mad/status/1043518973025968129
https://twitter.com/EgyptianSZN/status/1043519200197672960
Now bring on Keita ?, hopefully @VirgilvDijk injury is nothing serious
— Tin ?? (@jaysekoh) September 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/w_repeat/status/1043519653912305664
https://twitter.com/SteensonLFC/status/1043520238460051456
Hope it’s not serious??
— Natalie Atkinson (@NatalieLFC_8) September 22, 2018
Dear oh dear…I pray its not scary
— Siza_Khabo (@LACOEzw) September 22, 2018
No prob mate, i was fearing the worst earlier as well!
— DS (@djs_19_6) September 22, 2018
OPINION
The reaction of the Liverpool supporters here is perfectly understandable. Van Dijk has been everything the club hoped he would be and more since he joined from Southampton in January, so consternation was to be expected when he went down injured on Saturday. He is the undisputed leader and best player in this Liverpool defence so obviously fans were going to be fearful about his absence, although thankfully it looks like he shouldn’t miss any extended period of time. Liverpool are blessed at the moment that they have the likes of Joe Gomez and Joel Matip ready to step in if Van Dijk does pick up a knock, but obviously everyone on Merseyside would rather the Dutchman be available. The difference he has made to the Reds backline since joining has been monumental, and Klopp will be breathing a sigh of relief that this injury scare wasn’t anything more serious.
