Liverpool received the worst possible news on Sunday after their 2-2 draw against Everton in the Merseyside derby. Virgil van Dijk went off injured in the first half, and early signs weren’t great.
The Reds’ official website has announced the Dutchman is set to undergo surgery on his knee soon, which is a terrible blow for the club. Van Dijk is expected to miss a large part of this season, and the news has Liverpool fans worried.
The former Celtic man is one of the big reasons why Liverpool have enjoyed success during the past two seasons. Van Dijk played an integral part in their Champions League and Premier League crowns. However, Jurgen Klopp will have to find a way to defend the latter without him.
How do the Reds fare without their star defender? Can the likes of Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Fabinho get the job done without him? Or will they suffer in Van Dijk’s absence? Let’s see what the stats say.
Liverpool’s record without Van Dijk is shocking
Since Van Dijk’s debut in 2018, Liverpool have played 144 games in all competitions. The former Saints star has started 130 times in that period, with Liverpool’s record in those games phenomenal.
Klopp’s men have won 93 games, drawn 16 and lost 21. The Reds boast a win rate of 71.5% and have lost little more than 16%, averaging 2.26 points per game – a stunning record.
Liverpool have scored 290 goals (2.23 per game) but have conceded just 124 (0.95 per game) in games Van Dijk has started. The Reds are a force with the Dutchman at the back but, without him, they tend to struggle.
Liverpool have played 14 times without Van Dijk since he joined the club. The Reds have won only six of those games in normal time, drawn five and lost three in all competitions. That drops their win rate to 42.9% – almost 30% less than when he starts.
They have scored 24 times (1.71 per game) and conceded 22 (1.57 per game) – a very different record compared with when he’s in the team.
Liverpool and Klopp now have to find a way to get over the line without their most important centre-half.
The Reds are more than capable offensively but a lot of questions will be asked at the back. This will make their title defence much more difficult than it should have been.
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