Virgil van Dijk says it is vital for Liverpool to "stay calm" after it booked its place in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United — and the Reds skipper was delighted to find the back of the net again too.

"I think it's important for everyone because we work so hard each and every day in order to get success and obviously to participate in every competition to try and win it," Van Dijk told reporters at Anfield post-match.

"At least that's what we do as a club and from the outside world, as we are expected to do, we compete until the very last day. We know how difficult it is but we are in a very good position.

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"Obviously last year when we went into the final, we had a lot of injuries, so hopefully we can get everyone fit to play a part in trying to win a very difficult game that we have to play. Up until then, we stay calm, keep working hard, focus on ourselves, and focus on the next game ahead of us."

Van Dijk capped an utterly dominant Liverpool performance with the fourth goal on the night against Spurs, heading home from Alexis Mac Allister's inswinging corner kick. Arne Slot spoke in the build-up to the game about wanting to get more goals from all areas of the pitch and Van Dijk responded by grabbing his third of the season after also netting against AC Milan and Arsenal.

"We are working on things," Van Dijk said. "No one is perfect. When there is a set-piece or a cross when I'm in the box, it all has to click. It's not only me making the right run or getting blocked — it's the delivery, it's the timing, it's everything.

"[Against Spurs] that ball was perfect, my timing was perfect, and we are working on this in training. I can guarantee that we do everything in our power to try to be more successful.

"Luckily, at this point, we don't only depend on set-pieces but we have to try and be more clinical in that sense, and everyone has to play a part in that. I'm definitely one of those guys that try to improve on that. That's the nice thing about football, you can always improve, and this is one of the things as well.

"I think if you watch all the set-pieces, we get a lot of times it is double-marking; the first one marking, the second is blocking, so I try to mix it up a little bit. There's certain things that we try to do to exploit the opponent and score goals but it is not only me — it's the rest of the boys as well."

Slot has never been to Wembley before but has booked a trip at his first attempt here. While Newcastle will be a tough test, Liverpool will be the favorite — and a win should in theory provide a boost.

"I don't know because last year it didn't help!" Van Dijk said when asked about that possibility. "You try to win each and every game so hopefully it will be different. But you saw last year we couldn't get the job done and the other two [teams] were much better in the end.

"We have put ourselves in a good position, physically, mentally, points-wise, and with the games that we have, we should not at all get carried away. We just stay calm, and that's what we have to do.

"We were in four competitions this time last year no? I think there is a new regime and the manager is doing some things differently than what Jurgen Klopp did. What Jurgen did was very successful, and hopefully the manager and what he implements to us will be successful as well.

"We have put ourselves in a very good position but we are in February and I'm definitely not thinking what could be there, either after March 16 or at the end of May. We just focus on the next one, the next one, and then we'll see.

"It means a lot. We don't take any of this for granted. Winning is always a great feeling, it's a nice feeling, but you should not take any of that for granted — I'm definitely not doing that.

"With the games coming so thick and fast it's quite easy just to forget it and move on. But tonight we should definitely be happy and celebrate a little bit. Tomorrow we focus on Plymouth."