Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk will undergo surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury and is likely to be out for a lengthy period of time.
The Reds have refused to put a timescale on his recovery but it usually takes between six to nine months depending on the severity of the damage, and it seems likely that his season is over.
Van Dijk has been a crucial part of a defence which has been the best in England over the past two years and fans on Twitter are understandably upset that the 29-year-old will be out for such a long time:
That’s terrible news for Virgil & everyone at Liverpool. Pickford has done a terrible thing & will remain unpunished. Var & the match day officials should be ashamed of themselves.
— Lawrence Wainwright (@LWainwright64) October 18, 2020
This is painful …Get well soon VVD
— Daddy Shark ???♂️ (@khal_mide) October 18, 2020
extremely hard to accept this. get well really soon, @VirgilvDijk! you’ll come back stronger??❤️
— Andhika S P Batubara (@dhikasupriat) October 18, 2020
take my knees ?
— sad ghoul ? (@itmegahertzhere) October 18, 2020
Joe Gomez and Matip as central backs all the season ?? pic.twitter.com/S5TFqtI8mf
— Galo Alemán (@GaloAleman18) October 18, 2020
Speedy recovery ??
— Manu? (@afcmanuel) October 18, 2020
All The Best king.. ❤️?
— Jak sahota @lfc (@jaksahota) October 18, 2020
YNWA @VirgilvDijk stay strong ?? we got you.
— K_Kark #CHAMP19NS (@C_Kark) October 18, 2020
Come back stronger VVD ❤️❤️❤️
— Mustafa (@must_123r) October 18, 2020
The injury has blown the title race wide open. With Liverpool now having only two fit centre-backs in their squad, with no way of bringing in reinforcements until January, it is difficult to see how they will be able to sustain a challenge, unless the likes of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez step up to the plate and manage to stay fit.