The manager of Liverpool football club, Jurgen Klopp has stressed that he would not stop his two injured players, Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk from playing in the postponed 2020 Euros.
The Euros which was initially scheduled to take place in 2020, had to be postponed to June 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately for Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk, they are battling to recover fully ahead of the competition which would last for a month.
Jordan Henderson is expected to be fully fit this month which means that if he could get some game time at Liverpool before the end of the 2020-2021 season, he could represent England in the European Championship later in the year.
Also, Virgil van Dijk who has been a long-time absentee at the club is recovery from his knee injury. Though he missed most of the 2020-2021 season, Netherlands would not mind having the defender back ahead of the European Championship.
Both Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk were very instrumental in Liverpool’s success in the 2019-2020 season where they led the club to win the Premier League title for the first time in 30 years.
However, the two stars could not play many parts in Liverpool’s effort to defend their league title this season. In their absence, Liverpool struggled to the extent that the club has been relegated to battling for a top-four finish.
Liverpool who started the season as a Premier League title contender recorded 9 defeats, 7 draws, and 13 wins to make do with the 7th spot on the league table so far this season. The reigning Premier League champions are expected to defeat Arsenal on Saturday, April 3, 2021, to brighten their chance of making it into the top four.
Ahead of the game, the club’s coach, Jurgen Klopp told the press that he does not intend to take players away from the Netherlands or England ahead of the Euros. He revealed that Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk are still undergoing rehabilitation.
“I don’t want to take a player away from England or Holland, if they’re ready, they’re ready. It’s not down to me to make these decisions,” said Klopp.
“I have no idea about the Euros. Nothing has changed. They are where they should be at the moment. If they are ready when they are ready. They are in a rehab process.
“He is not here at the moment, he cannot train, but he will train in the next days and weeks for sure.
“The problem is, I’m not a doctor, so it’s just about time. Will it be enough? I have no idea, but I hope so.”
On Liverpool’s Premier League game against Arsenal, Jurgen Klopp said: “It is always a challenge for teams after the international break, with players coming back from their countries having played different systems and different match plans.
“We have one session to bring it all together again and that’s a challenge but we are used to it.
“There is no guarantee it works but we will go for it. Whoever plays away at Arsenal should not expect to have the points already.
“We know whatever we want for the rest of the season we can only get it if we win football games, and the first one is tomorrow night at Arsenal.”
🔙 in action this weekend ⏳#LFC | #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/a8d1Ozr1ef
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 1, 2021
