Arne Slot has reiterated his desire for skipper Virgil van Dijk to sign a new contract with Liverpool. The Reds captain was on the scoresheet in his side’s 4-0 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night that booked their place in the Carabao Cup final.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher was full of praise for Van Dijk after the final whistle, claiming "he’s too good for the highest level of football", with Slot equally impressed by the performance.

The centre-back's Anfield future remains uncertain with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. ButSlot confirmed that he is hoping he can continue working with his compatriot for many seasons to come.

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“So they are friends again, huh?” the Reds head coach joked about Carragher and Van Dijk. “I think Virgil deserves every compliment he gets.

“He has been outstanding for this club for so many years and since I’ve been working here, he’s been outstanding for me as well for the performances he brings. Yesterday was again an example of that.

“He was also in a good manner aggressive, he led the team, with the ball we know what he can do but also without the ball he was sharp and ready.

“It was not a coincidence that it took 80 minutes before they had their first shot on target. Virgil, like many others, has a good season. He, like all the others, wants to make it a great season.

“Good health for him and his family, that is the first thing I wish him. And I hope I can enjoy working with him for a long time, but I don’t think that is a surprise for you.”

Meanwhile, Slot admitted it was too early to decide whether Caoimhin Kelleher or Alisson Becker would start in goal for next month’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle as he explained his decision to rest the latter against Spurs.

“Almost every time we’ve played the second goalkeeper in the League Cup,” he said. “At Brighton it was Vite (Vitezslav Jaros) because in that moment Caoimh was the number one because Alisson was injured in that moment.

“There was only one exception and that was Tottenham away where Alisson came back from an injury and I thought and felt he needed some extra playing-time.

“If you come back from an injury, you see this many times, they sometimes need a bit of time to be at their best again. They are still good but for them to be at their best again.

“Yesterday was a League Cup game so that meant Caoimh was in goal and he absolutely deserves to be in goal for everything he did this season until now.

“We never know what the situation around the final is. How fit is everyone? Do they need a game? Yes or no? I cannot guarantee anything. I never guarantee anything to players so far in advance and that is not what I’m going to do now as well.”