Van Dijk injury causes concern for frustrated Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk has been a commanding — even transcendent — presence at heart of Liverpool’s defense throughout team’s rise to top of English and European soccer in recent years.

In a major concern for Premier League champions, y might have to learn how to cope without ir warrior at back for quite some time.

Early in what proved to be a painful Merseyside derby for Liverpool, Van Dijk was subject of a reckless lunge by Jordan Pickford that saw Everton goalkeeper clatter into extended right leg of Nerlands defender.

Van Dijk roared in agony and, tellingly, stayed down. And that was when Jürgen Klopp knew it was serious.

“Virgil played I don’t kw how many games in a row, he plays with pain, but he couldn’t play on and that’s t good,” Klopp said after 2-2 draw at Goodison Park.

Indeed, Van Dijk — English soccer’s player of year from 2018-19 who had played every minute of Liverpool’s previous 74 league games, dating back to September 2018 — immediately came off after lengthy treatment and hobbled gingerly around field to locker room.

re was official word from Liverpool on potential length of his absence, but Van Dijk reportedly left hospital on crutches in evening. Broadcaster beIN Sports said it has received information that player has damd his anterior cruciate ligament.

With draw, Liverpool extended its 10-year unbeaten record against its neighbor but Klopp was a frustrated man as he made short trip home from Goodison.

Aside from fact Pickford escaped punishment for challenge on Van Dijk — VAR seemingly didn’t review incident, which came after an offside was called — Klopp was unhappy his team had what would have been a winning goal from Jordan Henderson disallowed in second minute of stopp time. VAR did intervene this time, spotting Sadio Mane was offside by narrowest of margins.

Mane had given Liverpool a third-minute lead, only for Michael Keane to equalize with a towering header at a corner. Mohamed Salah reclaimed lead for champions with his sixth goal of campaign, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin grabbed Everton’s second equalizer by rising high to power home a left-wing cross for his 10th goal in seven club matches in all competitions.

Van Dijk might have been marking Keane and Calvert-Lewin for both of those Everton chances. It is potentially a sign of things to come for Liverpool.

Everton dropped points for first time this season in its fifth match but stayed top, three points above Liverpool.

AGUERO’S ACTION

Sergio Aguero didn’t score on his return to Manchester City lineup for first time in nearly four months. He was at center of a potentially contentious incident, though, in City’s 1-0 win over Arsenal.

In 42nd minute, Aguero was seen complaining about a decision to female assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis. As Massey-Ellis moved along touchline, Aguero walked next to her and placed his arm around her neck in an action that would be in breach of coronavirus guidelines.

Argentina international was t sanctioned.

“Sergio is nicest person I ever met in my life,” City manr Pep Guardiola said. "Look for problems in or situations, t in this one.”

Raheem Sterling scored City’s winner in 23rd minute of a hard-fought game at Etihad Stadium as hosts coped without injured Kevin De Bruyne. City is in midtable and three points behind title rival Liverpool but has a game in hand.

REDEMPTION FOR MAGUIRE, FERNANDES

Finally something to celebrate for Harry Maguire after a tough few months for Manchester United captain.

re was redemption, too, for Bru Fernandes in United's 4-1 win at Newcastle.

Maguire scored a fine header for United's equalizer, days after getting sent off playing for England. He has produced some suspect defending for United this season, into which he came on back of being arrested after a late-night incident on Greek island of Mykos.

As for Fernandes, he had a penalty saved when score was 1-1 but made amends by scoring a brilliant goal into top corner after a counterattack in 86th. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford added even later goals.

CHELSEA EXPOSED

Chelsea’s defensive vulnerability was exposed in a 3-3 home draw with Southampton, which equalized in second minute of stopp time through Jannik Vestergaard after having already rallied from 2-0 down.

Timo Werner scored Chelsea’s first two goals, and played in Kai Havertz to make it 3-2, but hosts were undone by dreadful defending and goalkeeping.

For Southampton’s second goal, Kurt Zouma underhit a back pass before goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made two errors in a matter of seconds to allow Che Adams to score.

Kepa was filling in for injured Edouard Mendy, while ar new signing — center back Thiago Silva — was also missing. While Chelsea’s attack is starting to purr as key forwards return from injury, defense looks to be team’s biggest barrier to a concerted title challenge.

Im credits: AP