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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><ul><li>Reds ravaged by injuries</li><li>Skipper leading by example</li><li>More silverware secured</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Game recognises game! Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham in awe of Virgil van Dijk's match-winning Carabao Cup final display as he sends message to Liverpool captain

Champions League

Bayern Munich

Real Madrid

Premier League

Liverpool

Tottenham

<p>The Reds headed to Wembley nursing a serious injury headache, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Darwin Nunez among those ruled out of Jurgen Klopp’s plans. A collection of young stars stepped up to the plate, with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/liverpool-beat-blue-billion-pound-bottle-jobs-winners-losers-youthful-reds-chelsea-carabao-cup-final/blt864db260b29761e7" target="_blank">eight academy graduates picking up a winners’ medal</a>.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>It was, however, experienced club captain Van Dijk that led by example, with the commanding Dutch defender netting the only goal of the game deep into extra-time. He had <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/explained-why-virgil-van-dijk-goal-liverpool-carabao-cup-final-chelsea-ruled-out-wataru-endo-controversial-var/blt1c7ad399c2357465" target="_blank">already seen one effort chalked off</a> prior to that, but the Netherlands international was not to be denied as he <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/virgil-van-dijk-winning-first-trophy-liverpool-captain-carabao-cup-glory-chelsea/blt7a34cd74dc0c56b9" target="_blank">lifted a first piece of silverware as skipper at Anfield</a>.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Several players, many with ties to Liverpool, were quick to salute <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/jurgen-klopp-liverpool-boss-carabao-cup-triumph-chelsea-most-special-trophy/blt215e56fcd93602fb" target="_blank">Van Dijk’s man-of-the-match performance</a> in north London. Wataru Endo and Ibrahima Konate featured in the comments section of a social media post from the towering centre-half, while Real midfielder Bellingham said: “What a player.”</p><center><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3yIrOYi6w3/" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
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WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID ABOUT VAN DIJK

<p>Liverpool will be hoping that Van Dijk does not need to keep carrying them for long, with the big games coming thick and fast for the Reds as they head into a week that includes an FA Cup fifth-round clash with Southampton and a Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Game recognises game! Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham in awe of Virgil van Dijk's match-winning Carabao Cup final display as he sends message to Liverpool captain | Goal.com

Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is among those to have hailed the heroics of Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea.

Game recognises game! Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham in awe of Virgil van Dijk&apos;s match-winning Carabao Cup final display as he sends message to Liverpool captain

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