'Virgil Van Dijk May Return For Liverpool’s Biggest Games Of The Season'

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has suggested that Virgil van Dijk could make his return for the "big" matches at the end of the season.

The Reds were dealt a major blow last month after Van Dijk was on the receiving end of a shocking challenge from Jordan Pickford in Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Everton.

And the 29-year-old Dutch centre-back sustained an ACL injury in his right knee and has successfully undergone surgery.

However, Van Dijk could be sidelined from six to twelve months as Jurgen Klopp faces an injury crisis with Liverpool's backline.

Owen, 40, believes that not everything is bleak with the Liverpool defender's situation as Van Dijk could return for 'important matches' in the Reds' Champions League and Premier League campaigns.

The ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United striker told talkSPORT: "It's when you get really tested because in some games, if you're in a good team that are better than the rest, you can carry one or two players that aren't quite at it.

"But it's when you get into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, it's when you play Manchester City at Anfield, things like that, then you can't have any passengers in your team.

"Of course, Liverpool, the whole squad is very good. But you've just got one or two players in any team, I don't care who you are, that you look to and carry you to certain situations.

"When you're in the tunnel before the game you look in front of you and behind you and think, 'Right, we've got a chance because we've got him in our team.'

"Van Dijk in particular is one of them. He's a huge miss, but hey, who's to say he won't be back for those big games at the end of the season?

"A cruciate ligament injury is sort of five to six months if everything goes perfectly. So you never know. It's a huge blow."

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez are amongst the Liverpool players who have been ruled out of action due to injuries.

Meanwhile, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is out of action after testing positive for coronavirus while on international duty with Egypt.

Owen has claimed that Liverpool's title defence has been 'thrown up in the air a little bit' after the injury crisis facing the Reds.

The Ballon d'Or winner explained: "I have no doubts if these players were fit, then Liverpool are the best team in the land. I think they would win the Premier League.

"This has now thrown it up in the air a little bit. From a Premier League point of view, I still think they can get by in virtually every game."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Liverpool, Football News, Football, REds, Premier League, Virgil Van Dijk, Michael Owen

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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