Although one of the vital essential processes in getting back from a severe damage is overcoming the psychological barrier, Virgil van Dijk insists he’s “not afraid” of re-injury.
Van Dijk spent most of final season on the sidelines, having suffered an ACL damage following a stunning problem from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Pickford escaped sanctions and after an try and apologise to the Liverpool centre-back, little has been spoken of their relationship within the aftermath of the Merseyside derby.
The Dutchman is now again on the pitch and has already made 14 appearances this season, enjoying each minute within the Premier League and the complete 90 in three of 4 Champions League video games.
Whereas he isn’t but at his best, Van Dijk believes he’s enjoying with a freedom many battle to search out after a long-term layoff, with the character of Pickford’s deal with serving to him in an odd manner.
“It was due to a [challenge], it wasn’t that no one was round,” he instructed reporters whereas on responsibility with the Netherlands, as reported by NU.nl.
“That made it simple for me to maneuver freely once more. I used to be free in my head in a short time.”
He added: “Within the first video games my knee was nonetheless a bit stiff. Then I used to be extra involved with it in my head, however I used to be not afraid.”
Van Dijk clearly has a powerful mentality, having made it from humble beginnings at Groningen to develop into the world’s finest centre-back at Liverpool – through stops at Celtic and Southampton.
This shone by means of as he mentioned his health, insisting that his feeling that he “can at all times be higher” would have been there no matter his damage historical past.
“I’m rising each recreation, step-by-step,” he continued.
“After all, it could possibly at all times be higher, however that might have been the case if I hadn’t been injured. I’m proud of the way in which I got here again after such a fancy damage.”
The 30-year-old is a useful participant to Jurgen Klopp, and that has knowledgeable his near-everpresent function so quickly after coming again, not like one other long-term absentee in Joe Gomez.
Each Van Dijk and Gomez have been managed intently by head of restoration and efficiency Dr Andreas Schlumberger, who’s aided this season by a brand new addition in prevention and efficiency physio Lena Aschenbrenner.
They appear to have made a huge impact on the Dutch defender’s mindset, with the muse in place to alleviate him of these re-injury issues.