Liverpool's injury issues are continuing to mount following news Virgil van Dijk could be out of action for the rest of January.
The Reds' defender was substituted at half-time during Monday's 3-1 defeat at Brentford, which was understood to be a precaution after the No.4 felt discomfort. A negative update on the situation has now emerged, though, with the issue worse than first feared.
Van Dijk could be sidelined for the rest of this month, at a time when Jurgen Klopp's side are plagued by injuries. The Dutch international will undergo further assessments this week to provide a clearer indication as to how long he will be unavailable for.
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Speaking after the 3-1 loss at Brentford, Klopp said of Van Dijk's injury: “Virgil felt a little bit the muscle and said it is fine, and he is a very good judge of these kinds of things. But I didn’t want to take any risks. The physios looked quite happy when I said we don’t take risks. It’s not an injury, he just felt the intensity.”
With the above information in mind, we have taken a look at the fixtures the 31-year-old is in line to miss as he awaits a first-team return.
January 7 - Wolves (H)
January 14 - Brighton (A)
January 21 - Chelsea (H)
January 28/29 - FA Cup fourth round (should Liverpool progress past Wolves)
February 4 - Wolves (A)
Liverpool will be hoping Van Dijk is not kept out for much longer than February 4 as the club's following three fixtures Wolves sees the Reds host Everton, followed by an away trip to high-flying Newcastle United and the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie with Real Madrid on February 21.
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