Virgil van Dijk has insisted that his season-ending injury of the prior term remains far from the forefront of his mind.
The Dutch international suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw in the Merseyside derby last October following a wild challenge issued by Toffees keeper Jordan Pickford.
“My injury was caused by a kick,” the Dutchman told De Telegraaf (Sport Witness).
“It wasn’t a moment when nobody was around. Actually, that made it a bit easier mentally to go all the way.
“Sometimes it is at the back of your mind, but it is not something that really concerns me. It’s certainly not like I’m afraid to go into a duel.”
The Reds’ campaign took something of a hit following the long-term injuries sustained in the heart of defence.
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It remains something of a bitter pill to swallow that our title retention hopes were ended by a reckless tackle.
Nonetheless, it’s been pleasing to see a near-full-strength Liverpool outfit this term once again available to Jurgen Klopp.
Injuries have unfortunately persisted into the 2021/22 campaign further afield in the middle of the park, a concern that has played a role in us dropping a frustrating amount of points.
With Curtis Jones and Naby Keita likely to be back in team training beyond the international break, however, it will be a welcome boost as we look to make a statement against Arsenal later this month.
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