Photo by STEFAN KOOPS/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by STEFAN KOOPS/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Liverpool supporters have already felt the sting of the international break injury curse this September and October, with Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo going down in quick succession.
Isak and Gakpo have been excellent so far this season, but both are at risk of missing the Reds’ huge clash against Manchester City a week on Sunday after pulling out of the Sweden and Netherlands squads respectively.
Already dealt two big blows, Andoni Iraola will be wary of a third after Netherlands boss Xavi handed Virgil van Dijk a third 90-minute outing within the space of a week during their 2-2 draw with Greece on Sunday. After seeing him play more than anyone else in Europe last season, Liverpool are at risk of seeing Van Dijk break down.
Wirtz
Van Dijk can’t keep playing without a break
Despite turning 35 during the summer and coming into the final year of his contract with the club, Van Dijk is still absolutely crucial to Liverpool.
Once again, the Dutchman has played every minute of the Reds’ Premier League season, and has continued to deliver, ranking in the top 8% of centre-backs for duels won, and the top 20% for aerial duels won.
As a result, Liverpool cannot afford for him to get injured. Although Jeremy Jacquet is having an outstanding debut campaign, and is actually out-performing Van Dijk in terms of duels, the captain is still the main man and if he is out for any time at all it could be catastrophic for Iraola and the Reds.
The Netherlands obviously rely on him to a similar extent as well, and after Xavi confirmed that Van Dijk will stay on as his captain, the Spain and Barcelona legend has quickly cemented him as one of his guaranteed starters.
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On Thursday Van Dijk won his 99th cap for his country, and though he scored in what was a slightly disappointing 2-2 draw, the game also belied signs of some fatigue in the veteran defender.
Van Dijk was uncharacteristically all at sea for Greece’s opening goal, failing to organise his back line and keeping the Greek attackers onside. Having played two 90 minutes matches against Germany last Thursday and Serbia on Sunday, it was no surprise to see him struggling.
The Reds’ No. 4 has always been an extremely durable footballer, and he himself was likely itching to play again and edge closer to 100 caps, but at this stage of his career he – and his managers – have to be smarter than that.
Three full matches in eight days is not the way to protect his body for what is an incredibly intense period on the calendar coming up. Liverpool will play nine times in 29 days upon their return to action, and aside from the Carabao Cup tie with Chelsea on October 28th, it is hard to see him taking any of them off. A break should have come during this window, and Xavi must ensure it arrives for the Netherlands’ final match against Serbia.
Xavi must not play Van Dijk against Serbia
Having won one and drawn two during the international break so far, Xavi will want to end things on a positive note when the Netherlands face Serbia in Amsterdam.
Germany have a tough away match in surprise table-toppers Greece, but if they get a result in Athens and the Netherlands beat Serbia – as they should – Xavi’s team will end the break top of their Nations League group.
The presence of that carrot should worry Liverpool supporters, because it will likely mean that Xavi feels he has to play Van Dijk once again. Injury to Jan Paul van Hecke has disrupted the Spaniard’s plans and it is hard to see him leaving out his skipper on top of that.
That would mean 90 more minutes in the tank for Van Dijk ahead of what is such a crucial run for Liverpool, beginning with the mammoth meeting with Manchester City a week after the Dutch face Serbia.
Given his history, it is likely that Van Dijk will come through unscathed and will be continue to defy logic and play relentlessly every week. But this is now becoming a ticking time bomb, and if Liverpool want their best defender of the modern era to stay, sign a new contract and play at the highest level deeper into his 30s, they need to put pressure on to make a change when Van Dijk is away with his country.
Photo by Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Photo by Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images
Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images
Jeff Bezos speaks onstage ahead of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Blue Origin in Cape Canaveral, Florida (Credit: Getty Images/Mguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP).
Jeff Bezos speaks onstage ahead of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Blue Origin in Cape Canaveral, Florida (Credit: Getty Images/Mguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP).