Van Dijk urges Liverpool to stay grounded ahead of Carabao Cup final
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has cautioned his teammates against getting carried away with their Carabao Cup final appearance, stressing that victory in the competition will not necessarily boost their Premier League title hopes.
The Reds sealed their spot in the final with a convincing 4-0 win over Tottenham in the semi-final second leg, with Van Dijk scoring the fourth goal.
They will face Newcastle United in the Wembley showpiece on March 16.
Van Dijk, who scored the winning goal in last year's Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, warned that success in the competition does not guarantee a strong finish to the season.
"Winning the competition last year didn't help [for the rest of the season]," he said.
Instead, the Dutch defender emphasised the importance of staying focused and calm, with Liverpool still in contention for multiple honors this season.
"We have put ourselves in a very good position, physically, mentally, points-wise, and with the games that we have," Van Dijk said.
"We should not get carried away. We just stay calm and that's what we have to do."
Van Dijk also praised the intensity and running of his teammates in the semi-final win over Tottenham and acknowledged that the final against Newcastle will be a challenging encounter.
"We know how difficult it is, but we are in a very good position," he said.
