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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has opened up on losing his key defender Virgil van Dijk to a serious injury.
The Dutchman was subbed off at half time in their 3-1 loss against Brentford in the Premier League on January 1.
The Reds will take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday, January 7 at Anfield.
Ahead of the game, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made an honest admission regarding Van Dijk's injury and recovery. The Reds boss has admitted that the Merseyside giants were taken aback by the diagnosis of the Dutchman's injury.
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Klopp has also insisted that it will be a long way back to full fitness for the Netherlands international. He said, as quoted by The Liverpool Echo:
“Virg was a surprise for us and a big blow. The diagnosis was pretty harsh. It's more than a month, but I hope it goes quick. It's hard, but for him he has played an incredible amount of games in recent years."
Klopp initially played down any thoughts of a serious injury for Van Dijk but it was later revealed that it was a lot worse than initially feared.
The former Southampton man will receive the results of a scan this week to determine the full extent of his injury and is also set to see a specialist.
At the moment, there is no timeframe for Van Dijk's potential return to the side, which would be a major blow to the Reds.
The Merseysiders have struggled defensively this campaign and without their leader at the back, things could get a lot trickier for them.
Liverpool star urged to step in for injured Virgil van Dijk
Former Premier League defender Bacary Sagna has backed Ibrahima Konate to fill Virgil van Dijk's void in the coming weeks. The former Arsenal and Manchester City right-back told Midnite:
"Ibrahima Konate has been brilliant since he joined Liverpool and will be able to cover for Virgil van Dijk while he's injured, he had a great World Cup too."
He added:
"The pressure of playing for the national team is the most challenging thing because of the pressure. If he can also handle the pressure of playing for Liverpool, I think he will be amazing."
Konate has been a huge hit at Anfield since his £36 million move from RB Leipzig in 2021. The Frenchman has made 34 appearances for the Reds.
