"THIS IS HORRIBLE. ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE," the commentator, Barry, whispered, his usual booming enthusiasm completely gone. "Virgil van Dijk, one of the greatest defenders of his generation... you just pray it's not as bad as it looks. The way his knee buckled... that did not look good."
The medics worked quickly, their faces grim. The stretcher was called. As their captain was carefully lifted and carried off the pitch, a wave of respectful, heartfelt applause echoed around the entire stadium, a rare moment of unity in the heat of battle. Van Dijk, even in his pain, managed a weak thumbs-up to the travelling Liverpool fans, a final, defiant gesture of leadership.
The game had stopped for almost five minutes. Joe Gomez, the reliable, versatile defender, was brought on as the substitute.
But replacing Virgil van Dijk was like trying to replace a mountain. A gaping hole had just appeared in the heart of Liverpool's defense, and in their spirit.
