Will Virgil van Dijk play today for Liverpool vs Newcastle?
Liverpool's underwhelming season has been underpinned by a ruinous defensive record, unaided by Virgil van Dijk's fitness struggles.
The talismanic centre-back hasn't started a Premier League match since hobbling off at half-time of Liverpool's 3-1 defeat against Brentford at the start of January. That mauling was the first in a sequence of three straight top-flight away losses for the Reds, with Jurgen Klopp's side conceding nine goals in losses against the Bees, Brighton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
As the Reds prepare for a trip to Newcastle United on Saturday, Liverpool are in danger of shipping three or more goals in four consecutive away league matches for the first time since 1954 (per BBC). But will Van Dijk be back in defence to stiffen up a soft rearguard?
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Will Virgil van Dijk play against Newcastle?
When Klopp was quizzed about Van Dijk's ability to start on Friday, the German manager said: "I think so, yeah. Yesterday he looked absolutely ready. I think today he will look the same and we will make a decision."
After sitting out six games, evenly split between the league and FA Cup which earned Liverpool just one win, Van Dijk returned to the bench for Liverpool's home derby against Everton on Monday.
The 31-year-old didn't make it onto the pitch but was fit enough to trot up and down the touchline. From the sidelines, Van Dijk managed to get involved in a scuffle with Everton's Seamus Coleman while trying to diffuse a heated exchange between his teammate Andy Robertson and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
This weekend, Van Dijk is expected to ditch the high-vis bib and return to Liverpool's backline. A fully fit Van Dijk should only bolster his side's chances of keeping the team's first Premier League clean sheet outside of Liverpool since April.
Newcastle predicted lineup vs Liverpool
(4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Almiron, Longstaff, Joelinton; Saint-Maximin, Wilson, Gordon.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs Newcastle
(4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Bajcetic, Fabinho, Henderson; Salah, Nunez, Gakpo.