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Virgil van Dijk has backed Mohamed Salah to win his race against time and don the Liverpool shirt for the last time before his departure from Anfield.
The Egyptian superstar left the pitch in tears during the weekend’s victory over Crystal Palace, sparking fears that a legendary career on Merseyside has come to a premature end.
Van Dijk maintains hope in the Anfield legend
The Liverpool captain refuses to accept that Salah has already made his final appearance for the club.
Despite the bleak picture of Salah limping away, Van Dijk believes the 33-year-old’s resilience could allow him to return for the final home games.
“I hope so,” the defender said when asked if Salah would play again. “There will be a medical evaluation and then it will be determined what the problem will be. I know he is doing everything in his power to get back on the court as soon as possible.”
An emotional exit from the Egyptian king
The timing of the injury is particularly cruel given Liverpool only have four games left in their campaign.
With Salah set to leave when his contract expires in June, the prospect of him missing out on a stadium farewell is a heavy burden for the team. Van Dijk admitted the situation was weighing on his teammate’s mind as he left the field on Saturday.
“If you get injured at this point in the season, especially in the situation he’s in, he only has two more home games left, it’s a combination of feelings that go through your mind when you go out,” Van Dijk explained.
“The reality is he has to be scanned, evaluated, I hope it doesn’t take too long, but right now I don’t know. Maybe he’ll be back next week, maybe not. I have no idea.”
A guaranteed farewell regardless of physical condition
Salah’s legacy at Anfield is already written in stone: 257 goals in 440 appearances make him the third top scorer in the club’s history.
Regardless of whether he wins his physical battle, Van Dijk is confident that fans will give the three-time PFA Player of the Year the tribute he deserves for his nine trophy-laden years.
“He will be sent off anyway,” Van Dijk added. “I don’t think that’s the issue right now, we shouldn’t think too much about the future. Knowing Mo, he’s a fast healer with the right people around us and let’s see.”
The Reds seek to secure the Champions League
Aside from concerns about Salah, Liverpool’s victory over Palace was a positive step towards securing Champions League qualification.
The victory allowed the Reds to climb to fourth place in the Premier League table, behind only Manchester United in goals scored, although their arch-rivals still have a game in hand. While Salah’s potential absence looms large, the captain was quick to praise others who have stepped up.
“It’s important for Alex to score goals as a striker and it was a great goal,” said the Dutchman.
“From what I’ve seen of him, everyone knows, sees and experiences as teammates how extraordinary he is. It’s about getting games, trust, but obviously scoring goals as a striker, that’s the main trigger for him,” Van Djik added.
“I’m not worried about him at all. We want more than goals from him and that’s what he can contribute, and he just has to keep going and keep working, stay fit and continue to be important for the football club because I think he will and he already is.”
