Wednesday 3 April 2019 17:52, UK
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has trained as normal and is available for selection against former club Southampton on Friday, manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.
Van Dijk appeared to injure himself challenging Tottenham's Moussa Sissoko in the 85th minute of Sunday's match, but Klopp says the Dutch defender seemed fine in training this week.
Liverpool's record signing proved his worth in that tackle, successfully defending a two-on-one counter-attack with the game finely poised at 1-1, just moments before Liverpool's late winner which sent them back to the top of the Premier League.
"He did it alone, for what felt like 50 seconds, and he decided 100 per cent right but they still could have scored in that situation," Klopp said. "Usually defending is teamwork and that helps him and he helps us a lot.
"He has improved us and I think he has improved since he has been here. He is a different player from his time at Southampton. He was good there but with all the different games he has played now in the Champions League, that all helps you as a player.
"That's what you expect when a player comes in, that he makes the whole team better. He is obviously a very good player and he makes players better around him.
"He is so important to us, not only as a player but as a person as well. I couldn't say a bad word about him even if I wanted.
"For a centre-half, he is still young so hopefully there is more to come and he can stay healthy and everything will be fine."
