Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has echoed his teammates will not get carried away with winning a potential quadruple this season, following their 4-0 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, to book their ticket to the League Cup final against Newcastle United.
Van Dijk rounded up the demolition with a header following goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai to help the defending champions seal a 4-1 aggregate win on Thursday night to seal a return to Wembley on March 16.
In addition to their qualification to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 after topping the league phase, the Reds sit at the summit of the Premier League with 56 points, six above second-placed Arsenal and they will face Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.
“No, the expectation is that we have to manage and try and win every game ahead of us. And not quadruple or thinking about what ‘could be’ in the meantime,” Van Dijk said to CBS Sports after Thursday’s contest.
“Every game that we play is going to be difficult, from now until the end of the season. To be in every competition will be fantastic, hopefully, because that’s what we work for.
“Let’s see. I think we just have to enjoy the whole ride. Don’t worry about other teams, just worry about ourselves. That’s what I tell the boys.”
After lifting the League Cup last year, Liverpool’s Premier League title challenge faded woefully, and they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester United and the UEFA Europa League by eventual winners Atalanta.
Also, in the 2021-22 season, having won the League Cup and FA Cup, Liverpool’s bid for an unprecedented quadruple was shattered as Real Madrid defeated them 1-0 in the Champions League final and Manchester City pipped them to the league title by a point.
Liverpool face Everton in the league on Wednesday after their Merseyside derby, scheduled earlier for December 7, was called off due to Storm Darragh.
