Virgil van Dijk
Van Dijk and Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday night
Virgil van Dijk claims Liverpool would be in the “wrong business” if they needed to use their heartbreaking Champions League exit as added motivation for Sunday’s Carabao Cup Final against Newcastle.
The Wembley showpiece, when Liverpool can lift the trophy for a record 11th time, could be the perfect incentive after the Reds exited to Paris St Germain on a penalty shoot-out. Van Dijk refuses to see the final that way and says no-one at Liverpool should need lifting for Sunday.
“No, we don’t need any added motivation,” said the Reds skipper. “We have 10 games left, including the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. If you need any added motivation, you’re in the wrong business.”
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Liverpool are the Carabao Cup holders after van Dijk’s extra-time winner last season against Chelsea and he fancies their chances if they play with the same intensity they showed against PSG. “There’re 10 games left, not many, and there are two big prizes we can still get,” he said. “We’re going to give it everything.
“We have to feel the disappointment tonight, but from tomorrow it’s about recovery. Be ready for a good one. If we bring this intensity to Wembley with our fans, then I’m positive, I’m always positive.
“It will be difficult, any final is difficult, but I’m really looking forward to it.” As good as Liverpool were on Tuesday, PSG were better over the two legs and created the best chances at Anfield.
They carved out opportunities in extra-time as Liverpool tired and it was telling that after scoring at least twice in their previous 19 home games to equal Sunderland’s 90-year top-flight record, they could not find the back of the net in two hours of football. Goal king Mohamed Salah was anonymous in both legs, Diogo Jota and his replacement Darwin Nunez were quiet, while Luis Diaz faded after a bright start.
Head coach Arne Slot made changes as Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is a concern for Sunday, and Ibrahima Konate went off injured and the excellent Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis MacAllister tired. Van Dijk admits the substitutions did not work and said: “Maybe we looked a little bit disjointed at the times in the end.
Virgil van Dijk
The Liverpool skipper insists the Reds need no extra motivation for the Carabao Cup final
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Image:
Getty Images)
“I think they controlled the extra-time pretty well. I think they kept the ball, switched it from side to side, let us run and did it well. They’re the best team we’ve faced so far. They’re doing very well. They’ve created a very good team. The manager and recruitment, they made it very difficult.
“We tried everything in our power to go through, especially in regular time. We put ourselves in a very good position last week winning there 1-0. Our performance here was miles better and we created a lot of opportunities. But we couldn’t capitalise and they obviously scored their goal and penalties unfortunately decided our fate.”
Van Dijk refused to be too downbeat and Liverpool are a staggering 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League. “I think you always have to learn from difficult moments,” he said.
“That’s life for any human being and us footballers as well. There were good things. There were things that maybe we could have done better, but overall, I’m very proud of the performance we put in.
“We have 10 more games now and I think we’re going to give it everything, hopefully we can celebrate something very nice at the end of the season.”
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