Virgil van Dijk Red Card Leaves Liverpool Forced to Plan Without Their Captain
Liverpool have been dealt a huge blow after their captain Virgil van Dijk was sent off during Sunday’s clash with Newcastle. Van Dijk was given a straight red card midway through the first half at St James’ Park, having brought down striker Alexander Isak as the last man. The Dutchman was deemed to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity, though there remained question marks over whether he won the ball first upon broadcast replays.
Jurgen Klopp will almost certainly be required to plan without his first-choice centre-back for the visit of Aston Villa on September 3. A red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity warrants a one-match ban, though there is still a chance Van Dijk’s punishment is extended. This comes following a heated exchange with referee John Brooks on the pitch and then fourth official Craig Pawson in the technical area. Van Dijk appeared to have told Pawson “don’t touch me,” after the official attempted to explain the situation before the player headed down the tunnel.
If the 32-year-old faces a two-match ban he would also miss the away clash with Wolves on September 16 – the first game back after the international break. It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will appeal Van Dijk’s red card, though there are less obvious grounds to do so than with Alexis Mac Allister‘s sending-off against Bournemouth.
Liverpool were already set to be without Van Dijk’s centre-back partner, Ibrahima Konate, when Villa arrive at Anfield next month. The Frenchman is sidelined through injury, with Klopp revealing before kickoff on Sunday that he is not expected back until the trip to Wolves. Supporters could, therefore, see the pairing of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez reprised in a week’s time, though the hope will be that another centre-back is signed before then.
The transfer window closes for Premier League at 11pm on September 1, leaving Liverpool with a race against time to bring in reinforcements before their next game. With Van Dijk now facing a possible two-match ban, it is essential that Liverpool act quickly to ensure they have enough cover at the back for their upcoming fixtures.
Van Dijk has been an integral part of Liverpool’s success over the past few years and his absence will be felt both on and off the pitch. His leadership and experience will be sorely missed and it will be up to Klopp and his team to find a way to cope without him.
The Reds have been linked with a number of potential targets in recent weeks, including Schalke defender Ozan Kabak and Brighton’s Ben White. Whether or not they are able to secure any of these players in time remains to be seen, but it is clear that Liverpool must act quickly if they are to have any chance of competing for silverware this season.
In the meantime, Klopp and his side will have to make do with what they have and hope that Van Dijk’s suspension is not extended further. It is a difficult situation for Liverpool but one that they must face head on if they are to remain competitive in the coming months.