Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur in Jurgen Klopp’s penultimate game at Anfield on Sunday.
Spurs handed Liverpool official qualification for next season’s Champions League on Thursday. Their 2-0 defeat at Chelsea meant the Reds can finish no lower than fourth.
That was Tottenham’s third Premier League defeat in a row and Liverpool will be hoping to hand them a fourth at the weekend.
Having been in stuttering form themselves, the Reds need to bring some positivity back to Klopp’s farewell. Only a win will do that.
Unfortunately, the manager has now admitted that their chances of doing that may have taken a hit. Two big players could miss the game.
Klopp admits Virgil van Dijk misses training
Liverpool have had a torrid time with injuries for most of the season. Had they managed to keep everyone fit all year, maybe they’d have had a proper tilt at the title.
Even recently, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold coming back, the Reds haven’t been able to boast a full compliment.
And now, as they prepare to take on Spurs, Klopp has told his pre-match press conference that Virgil van Dijk is a doubt for the game. Diogo Jota is also still not in training.
“Diogo is not in team training yet, Conor [Bradley] is. Virgil wasn’t,” he said. “We have to see what we can do there.”
The manager was not more forthcoming on the details of Van Dijk’s injury, but it would now seemingly be a surprise if we see the captain this weekend.
Who could play instead of Van Dijk
In truth, Liverpool don’t have all that many options to come in for Van Dijk. Ibrahima Konate will come back in, but the 24-year-old has been in poor form of late.
Alongside Konate you’d have to assume that Jarell Quansah will be the man chosen to deputise for Virgil.
There is of course Joe Gomez as well, but the England international tends to be more utilised at full-back these days.
One more option for Klopp could be 17-year-old Amara Nallo. Unlike Van Dijk, Nallo was spotted in training on Thursday and thus would look likely to be in the squad.
Obviously, we hope that Van Dijk makes it back in time. But with little now on the line for Liverpool, why not throw the young boy in.