Arne Slot reportedly convinced Virgil van Dijk to withdraw from the Netherlands squad early after being shown a red card in his country’s UEFA Nations League draw against Hungary.
It was the centre-back’s first sending-off for his country as he collected a quick pair of yellows towards the end of the game on Friday, which finished 1-1.
The 33-year-old was duly suspended for the following match Germany and withdrew from the international squad to return to Liverpool training earlier than expected as the Reds prepare to face Chelsea this weekend.
As per Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, Slot played a big role in convincing his captain to leave early. It was stated on their podcast that the LFC head coach fired a quick text to Van Dijk immediately after the Hungary game, requesting him to return to Merseyside.
The report adds that the towering defender initially had his mind set on staying with the national team camp and supporting them from the sidelines in their next match, but the 46-year-old’s request ultimately changed the defender’s mind.
The Netherlands are currently second in their group in the Nations League, with five points after four games. Germany retain top spot with 10 points at the same stage.
Van Dijk’s early return is a blessing for Slot and Liverpool fans
The former Southampton man is without doubt one of the best defenders in world football, and Liverpool fans will breathe a sigh of relief that he’s come back to Anfield uninjured, preparing for the tough run of games that his team will face.
Van Dijk has been a major reason why the 19-time champions are currently top of the Premier League table with the best defensive record in the division, conceding only two goals.
The Reds are also unbeaten in the Champions League, winning both of their games so far, and the €30m-valued centre-back (Transfermarkt) has started every one of these matches.
Liverpool face Chelsea at Anfield this weekend and then make a trip to Germany to take on RB Leipzig in the Champions League, before travelling to the Emirates Stadium for a showdown against a strong Arsenal team who are ‘ready‘ for the challenge that Slot’s men will pose.
Van Dijk’s leadership and quality will be crucial to any title challenge for us this year. While he surely won’t have been happy to miss the Netherlands’ grudge match against Germany, it was the correct decision to return to club training as his need on Merseyside was greater.
Mo Salah is also back from international duty earlier than expected and it’s a great boost to have the two veterans fit and firing for next Sunday and beyond. We really have to thank Slot for his reported involvement in getting the captain back – fingers crossed he has a plan to keep Liverpool’s winning momentum going!