Reds hope REST cure can help Ryan return refreshed

GRAVENBERCH ASSESSED AHEAD OF DERBY

- PAUL GORST

IT'S unclear where and when it was sustained. But there were few eyebrows raised when Ryan Gravenberch was confirmed as having withdrawn from the Netherlands squad through injury on Wednesday evening.

Gravenberch has been a revelation for the Reds this term, forcing his way back into the international pecking order having initially drawn criticism from head coach Ronald Koeman for his decision to stay on Merseyside over joining up with the Under-21 squad in the immediate aftermath of his £40m capture from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

Since failing to play a minute for the semi-finalists at last summer's European Championships, Gravenberch's form under Arne Slot has led to him becoming an important member of the Oranje set-up.

The Liverpool star has started five of the Netherlands' six matches this term, featuring for 450 of a possible 540 minutes under Koeman. Such has been his form, in fact, that Gravenberch has almost doubled his minutes for the Reds this season compared to last, when he turned out for 1,848 across 58 matches under Jurgen Klopp.