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If history is anything to go through, Jurgen Klopp has shown that he can navigate a crisis in central defense in an unlikely way. The Liverpool manager is now tasked with coping without star man Virgil van Dijk, who could miss the entire 2020/21 season through injury.
The Dutchman is set for surgery to repair his anterior cruciate ligament, which was torn by Jordan Pickford in the Merseyside derby earlier this month.
Since then, Fabinho has positioned himself to fill the void but was stopped with a hamstring problem in a 2-0 win over Midtjylland in the Champions League.
That means Liverpool have been reduced to a minimum, and Joel Matip has yet to prove his fitness.
Joe Gomez remains the only center available and there could be more opportunities for players like Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips.
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Can had played the role with Brendan Rodgers, but it was unfamiliar territory for Wijnaldum, who has never played defense.
The Reds ended up winning 5-1 on the South Coast and after the game, Wijnaldum admitted that he had trouble handling what was expected of him.
“It was difficult, really difficult,” he said. “You could see in the first half how difficult it was to play there. But I felt that in the second half things were better for me.
“I had never played there before. When the coach chose the team and put the players in certain positions, I knew he was playing in that position.
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“It’s really different than what I’m used to because I’m usually one line in front or on the front line.
“The coach was running out of options there. Emre had to play there too, but he’s quite used to that. You always need defenders, but this was a game where we didn’t have to defend as much.”
It just goes to show that Klopp can be prepared to roll the dice and try something unexpected between now and January, when Liverpool will have a chance to bring in reinforcements.
He has the versatile James Milner at his disposal, who previously held the positions of left and right back for the Reds.
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