According to Liverpool’s official website, manager Jürgen Klopp has described sorely missed central-defender Virgil van Dijk’s ongoing injury rehabilitation as ‘very promising’.
The German didn’t provide a timeframe for the Dutch defenders return but the sooner he finds himself back in the heart of the Liverpool defence the better.
Van Dijk is now three months into his recovery from knee ligament damage which he sustained during the Merseyside derby after a stray tackle by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
During his pre-Burnley media interviews Klopp was asked if the Dutchman is likely to play this season to which he responded: “I don’t know what is possible and what is not possible; I don’t think I’m the right person to judge that 100 per cent,
“He looks really good. I spoke to him this morning, I had him on the phone – he is in a really good mood. So it’s all very promising. But I don’t know when he will be back.
“There are for sure a lot of stages still to go over or pass or whatever. That’s clear. I had this injury myself.
“But for the time we are in and for how long he is out now, how long the rehabilitation is going on, he looks really, really promising. But that’s all.”
Liverpool haven’t been their usual exciting selves this season after a string of injuries had Jurgen Klopp operating with the bare bones.
Club captain Jordan Henderson has stepped into the centre-back role to cover as Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are both out with long term injuries.
Despite the long list of absentees the Premier League champions have managed to stay in touch with the top of the table just six points behind Manchester United who are top on 40 points. Liverpool also have a game in hand*.