Liverpool dealt MASSIVE boost as Van Dijk and Salah requests granted

Liverpool are in a crunch period of their season amidst a congested fixture list where the opponents' difficulty is only getting harder.

Both captain Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have been at the heart of Liverpool's successful start to the season so far.

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While playing almost every game for the Reds, the club legends have also had to feature in two international breaks, where they are integral players for their teams.

However, last night Liverpool received an enormous boost to their hopes of winning on their Premier League return next week against Chelsea, as Salah and Van Dijk were confirmed absent from their respective countries' second match of the break, subsequently returning early to Anfield.

Virgil van Dijk was given two yellow cards in the space of just a few minutes for the Netherlands, after arguing with the referee and mistiming a last-man challenge against Hungary, meaning he will be suspended for the team's next match against Germany on Monday.

Salah and Van Dijk want to come home

After initially indicating that he would like to stay with the team for support, the Dutchman later spoke in an interview with VI, where he indicated that he would like to return home. He said: "There has been a lot of talk about all the matches we have to play, all the travel. It is a good time to get some rest."

Meanwhile, despite scoring for Egypt in last night's clash against Mauritania, Salah expressed his discomfort over playing the return match on artificial turf in Nouakchott. After requesting to miss the game, Egypt manager Hossam Hassan happily approved the decision.

In a report via FilGoal, he said: "If Salah or any player asked me not to play on the artificial turf, I would agree. The Mauritanian team plays hard and its interventions are violent."

Liverpool boost despite contract uncertainty

Both players, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, are set to leave Liverpool this summer should their contract extension negotiations fail.

However, while updates continue to slowly paint the bigger picture about what they might decide to do, they have demonstrated that they want to give everything on the pitch this season at least.

Van Dijk has been at his optimal best so far this season, and Salah has started the season brightly in front of goal - as he has done for the last eight seasons.

In a season where player welfare is right at the fore of everyone's concerns, with games coming thick and fast, it is positive news that Liverpool's two main leaders on the pitch will be in full fitness ahead of the Reds' Anfield clash against Chelsea next week and for the extensive list of fixtures beyond.