The international break in March has been less than favorable for Liverpool, with the charge for the Premier League title looming. Injuries to key players Alisson Becker and Ryan Gravenberch, along with a scare for Ibrahima Konate, were far from ideal.
Now, it seems two more Dutch Reds are at risk, as their national manager takes an uncompromising approach to their second match of the week.
Liverpool has nine more Premier League matches left, needing 16 points to reach a total that Arsenal can’t match, thus securing the club’s 20th English title in Arne Slot’s debut season as head coach. However, before this can happen, he must hope for a clean bill of health from the 20 players currently on international duty.
As yet, there are no published results regarding the issue that saw Gravenberch return early from the Netherlands, or the concussion that led to Alisson withdrawing from the Brazil squad. France reported that Konate was substituted due to injury, although Didier Deschamps has since suggested otherwise.
Slot will be hoping for no further complications, especially with a crucial Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield up next, where a strong response is needed.
Liverpool entered the break on a low note, having suffered back-to-back defeats. The first saw them knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage by Paris Saint Germain, while the second was a loss to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
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With the UEFA Nations League play-offs hitting their peak intensity, Liverpool finds its international stars deeply engaged in the clutches of high-stakes football. The quarter-final stage sees two-legged knockout ties which hold significant weight, as the victor ultimately secures a spot for the 2026 World Cup.
While Gravenberch sat out Thursday’s fixture, his teammates Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo threw themselves into the fray for the Netherlands against Spain, with the first leg culminating in a 2-2 stalemate, featuring Gakpo’s name on the scoresheet.
Both players are set to face pressure once more in Valencia, with everything still on the line. Hopes for any form of respite were dashed by Dutch manager Ronald Koeman who, in his pre-match press conference quoted by De Telegraaf, stated: “We are playing two games against Spain and want to go full throttle with – in my opinion – the best team.”
(Image: JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Such commitment from Koeman suggests another extensive spell on the pitch for Van Dijk and Gakpo, provided they navigate clear of injuries ahead of the deciding clash.
Due to Spain’s formidable attacking prowess, Van Dijk is braced for an arduous outing, while Koeman has hinted at placing heavy reliance on Gakpo, after perhaps not maximizing his capabilities during the first encounter. Both Reds will be expected to give their utmost, especially with the No.18 tipped to make an emphatic impact yet again.
Reflecting on the first leg, Koeman pinpointed missed opportunities: “There were so many moments that we could have hurt them a lot more – especially in the first half. Especially on Cody Gakpo’s side, where it was just open. And then we stayed on the right. So we can do even better.”
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.
