Last update on.From section LiverpoolVan Dijk missed nine months while Gomez was out for eightAfter long periods of injury, Liverpool defenders Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk were able to return to action.Dutchman Van Dijk (30) has been out of the hospital for nine months following surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament damage (ACL), sustained against Everton in October.Gomez, 24 has been out of action for eight months since suffering a knee injury while training with England in November.In Liverpool's 4-3 friendly defeat against Hertha Berlin in Austria, both players were substitutes for the second half.Jurgen Klopp, manager of the pair, said that it was a pleasant feeling. "260-something days for Virg, and not much more for Joe. They didn't play football so it's nice having them back. It was the first step.Van Dijk tweeted the following after the game: external link "285 days ago I began on a journey towards playing. Although it is difficult to convey how I feel, I want to say that I am blessed to have been supported by so many amazing people.Last season, the Reds were in a defensive crisis and ended up third in the Premier League. They conceded 42 goals from 38 games after winning the title the previous year.Before they begin the season against Norwich, Osasuna and Bologna have additional friendlies.
