Van Dijk has three-word message after taking strong step towards return

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has said that he is taking his recovery from his knee injury “step by step” after revealing new details of his rehabilitation.

The 29-year-old has not played for the Reds since he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in October.

The Dutchman underwent an operation shortly after but is now well into his recovery and return.

Indeed, Van Dijk began light training in November but his latest social media post has offered further encouragement.

In a video on his Twitter account, he has shown new footage of him stepping up his recovery.

The defender builds up the resistance in his knee by stepping onto a platform while holding a weight. More tellingly, though, the video shows him kicking a ball in another promising sign about his progress.

Nevertheless, Liverpool did not put a timescale on Van Dijk’s recovery after the injury. Indeed, the length of his absence remains unclear despite his progress.

Van Dijk has a strong case to be Jurgen Klopp’s best signing at Liverpool for his impact on the team.

He played every Premier League game in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns as the Reds claimed 196 points from a possible 228.

He also returned to Anfield earlier in December to watch his side beat Wolves 4-0.

But he is not the only first-choice centre-back to have suffered injury this season. Joe Gomez has also suffered a long-term knee injury and the timescale on his rehabilitation is unclear.

In fact, knee problems have plagued Klopp’s team this season, with Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara also on the sidelines.

However, Liverpool have coped remarkably well and will sit top of the Premier League table on Christmas Day.

Klopp’s January U-turn for rising star

Meanwhile, Rhys Williams is one youngster who has stepped up amid Liverpool’s centre-back shortage.

The 19-year-old played in all six Champions League group stage games and made his Premier League debut last week.

A report has claimed that Klopp had initially wanted to send him out on loan in January. However, his unpredictable rise has forced the manager to think twice.

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