Southampton's Van Dijk suffers apparent ankle injury

Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk could be set for a stint on the sidelines after he was forced to leave Sunday's match against Leicester City with an apparent ankle injury.

The Dutch international initially attempted to remain in the match before limping off the pitch and being replaced by Jack Stephens in the 55th minute.

The team has yet to disclose the exact nature of the knock, but images showed the 25-year-old holding his ankle before receiving treatment from the Southampton medical team.

His loss would be a massive blow for the Saints ahead of their EFL Cup semi-final encounter Wednesday with Liverpool. Southampton won the first match, but could struggle to fill the void left by Van Dijk if he's unavailable for the second leg at Anfield.

However, his absence could be a blessing in disguise for Southampton. Van Dijk has been the target of reports linking him with a move away from St. Mary's Stadium this month, but an extended stay in sick bay could scupper efforts to lure him away from the club.