Liverpool fans don’t need reminding of Virgil van Dijk’s importance to the team, so news of his early return from international duty has understandably caused concern.
The Netherlands national team shared on X: *”Virgil van Dijk and Frenkie de Jong are not part of the squad for our final group stage game against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Nations League.
Ronald Koeman: ‘For both Frenkie and Virgil, it is better for them to leave the training camp at this moment. This decision was made on medical grounds, prioritizing the players’ well-being.’”*
While it’s unclear if this decision is due to injury or simply to rest the players, the simultaneous release of Van Dijk and De Jong suggests it might not be serious.
Fans might question why others, such as Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch, haven’t been afforded similar treatment, but there’s little cause for complaint.
Given the Dutch team’s inability to top their Nations League group, it seems logical not to risk their captain in a relatively inconsequential game.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot will likely be pleased to see Van Dijk rested. With Mohamed Salah also skipping international duty to prioritize his fitness and Trent Alexander-Arnold recovering from injury, several key players will return to Liverpool without playing during the break, potentially boosting their performance levels.
Hopefully, this rest period will contribute to maintaining the form that has seen Liverpool sit at the top of the Premier League.
