Liverpool will not get carried away by lofty expectations of winning a quadruple this season, captain Virgil van Dijk said after his side thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 at Anfield to set up a League Cup final clash with Newcastle United.
Van Dijk completed the rout with a header after goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, and Dominik Szoboszlai as holders Liverpool sealed a 4-1 aggregate win on Thursday, booking their return to Wembley on March 16.
Arne Slot’s side lead the Premier League with 56 points, six ahead of second-placed Arsenal. Liverpool have reached the Champions League’s last-16 after topping the league phase and will face Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.
Liverpool find themselves in a familiar position, chasing glory on four fronts once again, having come close in recent years. They are determined to avoid the collapse they faced under Juergen Klopp last season.
“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 told CBS Sports after Thursday’s game.
“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 push faltered, and they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester United and the Europa League by eventual winners Atalanta.
In the 2021-22 season, having won the League Cup and FA Cup, Liverpool’s bid for an unprecedented quadruple was thwarted 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 December 7 Merseyside derby was called off due to Storm Darragh.
–Reuters
