Virgil van Dijk reveals conversation with injured Andy Robertson

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted he is 'gutted' for Andy Robertson after his teammate's shoulder injury.

29-year-old Robertson appears set to miss the rest of the calendar year after dislocating his shoulder while on international duty.

Liverpool's first-choice left back collided with Unai Simon during Scotland's Euro 2024 qualification defeat to Spain and left the field with his arm wrapped in his shirt like a sling.

Jurgen Klopp has since revealed that Robertson will require surgery to help reduce the risk of the injury reoccurring, adding to the length of the defender's absence.

Most estimates suggest that Robertson will miss most if not all of the rest of 2023, with recovery from shoulder surgery typically requiring three months.

READ MORE: 3 ways could Liverpool line up in Andy Robertson's absence

Speaking to the media after Liverpool's Merseyside derby win on Saturday, Van Dijk revealed he has spoken with Robertson regarding his layoff.

"I spoke to him when it happened. I'm gutted for him," Van Dijk said.

"It's not nice to have an injury that is bad, the shoulder is hard work, we've seen it with Mo [Salah], there's so much work to go through but we are here to support him all the way through and he will be fine. Tough weeks ahead of him."

Kostas Tsimikas deputised for Robertson in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Everton, but was subbed off midway through the second half as the Reds' struggled to find a breakthrough.

In addition to the 27-year-old Greece international, Klopp has also hinted that Joe Gomez, as well as youngsters Luke Chambers and Calum Scanlon could earn game time in Robertson's absence during the increasingly busy schedule.

Addressing Liverpool's mindset as the fixtures begin to pile up, Van Dijk said: "It is only game by game by game, that’s how we approach everything.

“Try to stay fit and enjoy the moment as well. We play for one of the biggest clubs in the world – we are very privileged – so let’s show that, let’s be proud and enjoy the time together.”