Van Dijk ‘ready’ to start for Liverpool at Newcastle

LIVERPOOL, England: Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk is on track to start at Newcastle on Saturday after sitting out for nearly six weeks with a hamstring injury. The Netherlands captain hasn’t played since early January though he was on the bench against Everton in a 2-0 win that Liverpool hopes will reboot its top-four hopes in the Premier League.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was asked Friday if Van Dijk is ready to start against fourth-place Newcastle. He replied: “I think so, yeah.” “Yesterday, he looked absolutely ready.

I think today he will look the same and then we make a decision,” Klopp said at a press conference. Liverpool are in ninth place but have played at least one game fewer than most of the teams above it.