Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has insisted that there is "no rush" to give a starting role to new signing Virgil van Dijk.
On January 1, Van Dijk completed a £75m move from Southampton and is available to make his debut against Everton in the FA Cup third round on Friday night.
However, Klopp has suggested that he may avoid the temptation to throw the Netherlands international straight into his first XI.
The 50-year-old told reporters: "With Virgil it's different, I have to make a decision for this game, it's not finally done.
"It's clear centre-half is a position you need to be in tune with the team. Everybody is desperate to see him on the pitch, but from out point of view, there's no rush.
"It's how many good games he plays, not how many. We have to wait a little bit for the updates on each position."
Van Dijk last played a first-team match on December 13 before being dropped from the Southampton starting lineup.
