Jurgen Klopp was quick to admit after the Merseyside derby that Van Dijk’s injury did not look good and the Liverpool manager’s worst fears were realised after it was revealed that he had damaged his cruciate ligament.
Liverpool have not set a timeline for his return to the pitch, but the Dutchman may not play again this season and could struggle to make the Netherlands squad for the European Championship.
Shearer admits that Van Dijk’s injury is a massive blow for the champions and in a season that is shaping up to be uncertain, Liverpool will miss the leadership and calmness the Dutchman brings at the back.
However, the striker does insist that Van Dijk has no reason to fear about his long term fitness, and drawing from his personal experience of recovering from the same injury, he stressed that the Dutchman should be back as good as ever next year.
Shearer wrote in his column for The Athletic: “First things first, this is a huge blow to Van Dijk and Liverpool.
“They’re both going to suffer. Across the Premier League, this has been a peculiar start to the season in terms of scoring and conceding goals.
“Liverpool have not been immune to that madness, but the Dutchman is not only the best defender in the world, he’s also the glue that holds his team together.
“He is a massive presence and they will only miss him.
“The good news is that Van Dijk will be back as good as ever, as quick and as sharp and proficient.
“An anterior cruciate ligament injury is no longer career-threatening as it was in the 1980s and before.
“I came back from mine and immediately had the best three goalscoring seasons of my life.
“I still have to manage my right knee with stretches and weights to keep it strong, particularly in winter when the cold gets to it, but since the operation, I’ve never had a problem.”
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool try to sign a centre-back in January to fill a hole in their squad.
