Jurgen Klopp was hopeful Virgil van Dijk had suffered “nothing serious” despite a hamstring injury forcing him off in the 3-1 loss at Brentford.
Van Dijk struggled throughout a hapless first half in west London, and with Liverpool going into the break two goals down, he was one of three players brought off.
Unlike Kostas Tsimikas and Harvey Elliott, though, the Dutchman was withdrawn due to a fitness issue.
When Van Dijk reemerged and took his place in the dugout there was strapping on his right leg, with Klopp providing an update after the game.
“Virgil felt the hamstring a little bit,” he told beIN SPORTS.
“He said he’s fine, but when I said we don’t take any risks, the physios were quite happy with that.
“I think it’s nothing serious, but that’s why we changed him.”
It is the latest in a long, long line of injury issues for Liverpool this season, which does not appear to be slowing down following the World Cup break.
Elliott and Andy Robertson were both forced off in the 2-1 win over Leicester last time out, while Jordan Henderson missed the trip to Brentford due to concussion protocol.
Neither James Milner nor Roberto Firmino were passed fit, either, while Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and loanee Arthur remain long-term absentees.
Liverpool recently appointed Jonathan Power as their new club doctor, with the former Brentford matchday doctor due to begin his duties imminently.
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