VIRGIL VAN DIJK and Joe Gomez both returned to action after long-term injuries in Liverpool’s 4-3 friendly defeat to Hertha Berlin in Austria.
Liverpool skipper Van Dijk and fellow defender Gomez both stepped off the bench for the final 20 minutes in Innsbruck where Jurgen Klopp’s side played their second full 90-minute match of their mini-tour.
Van Dijk and Gomez were absent for most of last season due to knee injuries as Liverpool lost their Premier League crown to Manchester City.
Holland international Van Dijk had surgery in November after damaging an anterior cruciate ligament in Liverpool’s 2-2 Premier League draw at Merseyside rivals Everton in October.
“285 days ago, I started on a journey back towards playing”, tweeted Van Dijk after his return. “It’s hard to express how I am feeling, but it’s important to me that I say I feel blessed to have had the support of so many incredible people.
“The surgeon, my physios, coaches and staff who have been with me in my corner since day one. My teammates for giving me energy and keeping my head up. The fans for their love, support and encouragement. And most of all, my family because without them, I’d be nothing. Thank you. The work doesn’t stop now. It’s only just starting. We keep going!”
corner since day one. My teammates for giving me energy and keeping my head up. The fans for their love, support and encouragement. And most of all, my family because without them, I’d be nothing. Thank you. The work doesn’t stop now. It’s only just starting. We keep going! 2/2 pic.twitter.com/OiNLMLO44q
— Virgil van Dijk (@VirgilvDijk) July 29, 2021
Gomez has also recovered from knee surgery, to repair a tendon, which he damaged while training for England before their friendly against Ireland in November.
Bundesliga side Hertha led 2-0 after 31 minutes through Argentina midfielder Santiago Ascacibar and Suat Serdar’s fine finish before Liverpool hit back to restore parity at half-time.
Kostas Tsimikas crossed for Sadio Mane to convert from close range and Takumi Minamino brilliantly back-heeled the equaliser after good work from Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita.
The tackle and pass from Naby 🤩
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 29, 2021
The backheel from Mo 😱
The finish from Taki 🔥
A lovely team move from the Reds tonight 🙌⚽ pic.twitter.com/QEFUbYgvfQ
Liverpool substitute, 16-year-old Kaide Gordon, twice went close for the Reds before Hertha regained the lead through Stevan Jovetic.
Jovetic ran clear to slide home Hertha’s fourth goal and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 88th-minute volley made it 4-3.
The defeat was Liverpool’s first in pre-season following two 1-1 draws in mini-matches against Wacker Innsbruck and Stuttgart and last Friday’s 1-0 win against Mainz.
