OPINION
Jurgen Klopp enters Saturday’s game against Huddersfield Town with numerous Liverpool injury concerns following the international break.
The Liverpool Echo reported that Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita all suffered setbacks on international duty, giving Klopp plenty to think about in regards to his team selection against the Terriers.
Saturday’s game against David Wagner’s lowly outfit provides the German with the perfect opportunity to hand the 6ft 3in Van Dijk [Source: Transfermarkt] a much-needed rest.
The Dutch international has been a near ever-present for the Reds since he joined from Southampton in January, and that workload has taken its toll in recent weeks with a recurring rib problem. The team have important Champions League fixtures coming up that Liverpool need Van Dijk ready for, so why not give him a rest here?
Huddersfield offer very little attacking threat. They have scored just four times in eight Premier League games this campaign, the joint-lowest mark in the league alongside Cardiff City.
So it’s not as if this is a Manchester City or Chelsea where Klopp desperately needs his best defender to help nullify the opposition’s prolific attack. On the contrary, Van Dijk probably isn’t required against the blunt knife that is Huddersfield’s frontline.
Dejan Lovren came back into the Reds’ team against City last time out and performed admirably alongside Van Dijk. The Croatian’s inclusion saw Joe Gomez shunted out to right back with Trent Alexander-Arnold dropping to the bench.
A slight reshuffle – with Van Dijk dropping out, and Alexander-Arnold returning to right back with Gomez partnering Lovren at centre back – would be more than enough to repel anything Wagner’s side can muster moving forward.
Liverpool face a low-key difficult trip to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday night, and Van Dijk is needed much more in what will be a fervent atmosphere in Serbia than for this clash in West Yorkshire.
If ever there was a good time to drop Van Dijk from this Liverpool team, now is that time. It’s a long season and the Dutchman will be needed throughout it, and giving him little rests here and there will ensure that he is available from start to finish.
