Klopp Welcomes Back Van Dijk

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool have proven they can cope without Virgil van Dijk, but is glad to have him back against Manchester United.

In the absence of the suspended Van Dijk and the injured Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez, Klopp was forced to field a makeshift defence against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek.

Related: Guardiola Heaps Plaudit On Virgil van Dijk 

Midfielder Fabinho filled in at centre-back but the Reds were able to keep a clean sheet in a goalless draw in the first leg of the last 16 tie at Anfield.

Van Dijk will be available again when Liverpool take on United at Old Trafford this afternoon, and Klopp is delighted to have him back, despite admitting they coped well without the Dutchman.

“The most important thing was that we didn’t miss him as much as, again, a lot of people expected us to miss him,” Klopp said. “We defend as a unit.

“But of course it’s really good to have him back and by the way, it’s the first time in I don’t know how many weeks that we have to make a choice between midfielders, full-backs, even centre-halves – if I think about Fabinho again. For us, that’s a good moment.”