Liverpool defensive duo ‘look really good’ as they build towards comebacks

Manager Jurgen Klopp is pleased with the progress made by both Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez.

Liverpool sorely missed Virgil Van Dijk (left) and Joe Gomez (right) last season (PA Archive)

Liverpool centre-backs Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez both “look really good” as they build towards comebacks from long-term injuries, manager Jurgen Klopp has said.

The Reds boss has also delivered positive updates on two other defenders in Trent Alexander-Arnold who was injured in the lead-up to Euro 2020, and Joel Matip.

The four players are working on their fitness at Liverpool’s pre-season training camp in Austria.

Van Dijk was injured in a collision with Everton's Jordan Pickford (PA Wire)

Defensive problems were among the chief reasons why Liverpool were unable to mount a strong Premier League title defence last term.

The loss of Van Dijk was felt particularly strongly, with the Dutchman playing no part in the campaign after suffering a knee injury in the Merseyside derby at Everton in October last year.

Gomez was also ruled out for the season with a knee problem a few weeks later.

Klopp told the club’s website: “Virg and Joe will not have double sessions now for the first few days with the team. They have a second session of the day but it’s with the rehab department, physiotherapy – these kinds of things.

“That’s for these two. (They) look really good. I don’t know exactly when we can make the next steps but it will happen in the next four weeks. For sure, we will get a big step forward.”

Alexander-Arnold was injured on England duty (PA Wire)

Matip, also a centre-back, did not feature again suffering ankle ligament damage in February.

Right-back Alexander-Arnold hit form late in the season to earn a place in England’s summer plans but then sustained a thigh injury in a friendly against Austria last month.

Klopp said: “Joel looks good, absolutely, he is the closest probably to normal training and then we will see when we get him started for playing.

“Trent was a serious enough injury but now not a major one, I would say.

“He is close but for the moment, probably the next five or six days he has a special programme – from time to time with the team, from time to time by himself. But then in five or six or seven days he should be in normal team training.”