Van Dijk eyes Carabao Cup run as Liverpool host Spurs

Virgil van Dijk has called Liverpool's Carabao Cup third-round tie against Tottenham Hotspur a chance to bounce back after Saturday's draw with Fulham and launch another deep run in the competition.

Liverpool host Tottenham at Anfield on September 15 in the opening match of their 2026-27 Carabao Cup campaign. The club has won the competition a record 10 times, most recently in 2023-24 when Van Dijk headed in an extra-time winner in the Wembley final against Chelsea.

"The Carabao Cup will always be an important competition for this club, and it has given us many wonderful memories down the years," Van Dijk wrote in the official matchday programme. "It was the first trophy I lifted as captain, in 2024, and I will never forget that day, that game, as long as I live. We all want to go as far as we can in the competition this season."

The Liverpool captain acknowledged the frustration of the Fulham stalemate, having beaten Atletico Madrid days earlier. "After a good win against Atletico Madrid a few days earlier, where we showed a lot of good qualities, we wanted to follow that up against Fulham, and not being able to do that left us all frustrated," he wrote. "We have to take the point and move on, though. We are still unbeaten this season."

Tonight's fixture carries an added edge with the return of Andy Robertson, who left Liverpool for Tottenham earlier this transfer window. "It will, of course, be an emotional game tonight with the return of Andy Robertson," Van Dijk noted. "I know you will give him a fantastic reception and it will be good to see him – even if the sight of him not wearing a Liverpool kit will take some getting used to!"

Van Dijk stressed the need for consistent performances across the squad. "The best teams don't just play well every few games, they go again and again, game after game, and that is what we have to do," he said.