THE ruling out of Jordan Henderson’s stoppage-time strike for a marginal offside in the build-up took the wind out of their sails. Dropping points for the second game in row was a blow. But, for Liverpool, the biggest disappointment resulting from their 2-2 draw with Everton on Saturday was only fully realised two days later.
The news broke on Monday that star centre-back Virgil van Dijk will undergo surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament damage caused by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s challenge in the early stages of the Merseyside derby. The Dutchman will likely miss the remainder of the season.
The reigning Premier League champions are replete with superstar talent – from former joint Golden Boot winners Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to Trent-Alexander-Arnold, Alisson and new signing Thiago Alcantara. Losing any of them to a long-term injury would dent their prospects of another league title or Champions League, but none more so than Van Dijk.
The 29-year-old Dutchman has matched even the loftiest expectations of him since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018, emerging as the finest player in the world in his position, helping Liverpool to Champions League success and last season’s Premier League crown.
Having elected to strengthen other positions over the summer, with Dejan Lovren sold and with Joel Matip battling injuries of his own, the Reds’ best option for plugging the huge, Van Dijk-shaped hole in their back four might be to once again shift Fabinho back from his customary defensive-midfield slot.
Like Van Dijk, Fabinho has established himself as one of the best around in his role since swapping Monaco from Merseyside in the days following 2018’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid. The Brazilian – who spent much of his time in France as a right-back – is effective and efficient on the ball, disciplined in his movement and has the anticipation to shut down opposition attacks before they begin.
He is also, as his handful of dalliances in the position for Liverpool have evidenced, a very capable centre-half when called upon. In fact, Jurgen Klopp’s men have kept clean sheets in three of the four games Fabinho has started at the heart of defence – against Bayern Munich, Brighton and Chelsea. His recovery speed, positional sense and aerial ability make him a more-than-passable option in the unfamiliar role.
Fabinho is perhaps also the closest option to Van Dijk that Liverpool have when it comes to sheer reliability. Since working his way into a regular first-XI berth midway through his first season at Anfield, he has rarely been an injury absentee and consistently produces solid – if, by nature of his remit, often unspectacular – performances.
Moving Fabinho back into defence does, to an extent, just shift the selection headache Van Dijk’s absence will cause Klopp, however, and the German manager will need to realign the balance of his midfield to compensate.
Here, more so than in central defence, Klopp has options. Captain Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Thiago can all play as the pivot at the base of midfield if needed, although each is better suited to a slightly less restrictive role. A benefit would be found in the trio’s playmaking abilities, with Henderson and Thiago in particular boasting a greater range and variety of pass than Fabinho.
Liverpool's senior centre-back options without Virgil van Dijk:
Joel Matip
Joe Gomez
FabinhoGood enough to win the title again? pic.twitter.com/ApXShGmW27
— Goal (@goal) October 19, 2020
None, though, match the Brazilian’s protective instincts in the role, so some sort of replacement by committee – with any three midfielders chosen to start all chipping in more on the defensive end – might be necessary.
However Klopp decides to line-up his side in Van Dijk’s absence, more will be required of Joe Gomez.
There is no doubting the young England defender’s skillset and potential. With his combination of pace, coolness on the ball and timing of defensive interventions, the 23-year-old was outstanding alongside Van Dijk on last season’s march to the title.
But Gomez has struggled to replicate that form so far this term. Without his more experienced cohort alongside him, Gomez will have to carry a greater load of both defensive responsibility and leadership at the back.
“I think if Van Dijk is fit for the whole season, Liverpool win the league, but it's massively opened it up now,” admitted former Reds centre-back Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
And the stats appear to back up Carragher’s appraisal. Since he joined almost three years ago, Liverpool have won 70.5 per cent of the games Van Dijk has featured in (excluding the latest Merseyside derby, in which he was helped from the field in the 11th minute) and conceded an average of just 0.94 goals per game. Without him, their win rate slides to 42.9 per cent, conceding 1.71 goals per game.
When faced with the loss of a player of Van Dijk’s calibre, there are no quick fixes, no easy answers, no like-for-like replacements. How well Klopp can patch up his backline will determine the success of the Reds’ title defence.
