Xabi Alonso's Chelsea visit Anfield this evening in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

With the Reds eager to get back out on the pitch after the Premier League win over Brighton & Hove Albion, their captain wants to see the same level of hunger that helped secure those three points.

Van Dijk writes in tonight's official matchday programme: "We have reached the stage of the season where the games are coming thick and fast, in all competitions, and that is an exciting time for any player.

"Nothing beats playing, and nothing beats winning. We have been able to get ourselves on a good run of victories in the last few games, building some good momentum in the process.

"We want that to continue this evening. Weeks like this one, in which we face top opponents in quick succession at Anfield, are the kind we live for at Liverpool, and we are all looking forward to tonight's game, as I know you guys are.

"Just as in the previous round against Tottenham, we are facing a very dangerous opponent in Chelsea. 

"They will be disappointed at the result they had at the weekend, but they have a lot of talent in their squad and we will need to perform at a really high level if we want to progress to the fifth round.

"I think we showed a lot of really good things in Sunday's game against Brighton. We knew we would have to work extremely hard as a team if we wanted to get the three points, and I think we did that really well. 

"The commitment of every player, that desire to fight and to defend and to protect the clean sheet, was top, and shows the standard required from everybody going forward.

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"I know that you guys appreciate it when you see a team that is willing to fight from the first whistle to the last, and that is what we want to give you, every single time.

"When you see someone like Ronald [Araujo] making challenges, being aggressive at the right times, everyone responds and that energy can really help the team going forward.

"There's no doubt that it has been a good and pleasing response to the Manchester City defeat, with four important wins, but the key now is that we don't get carried away, that we stay humble, stick together and keep working on the basics.

"Consistency is what will get us to where we want to be, and everyone understands that. It's not about doing it for four games or four weeks, it's about doing it week after week, home and away.

"For now, though, the aim is simple: keep going, keep our focus and embrace the challenges – the big challenges – that lie ahead.

"We can't wait to get back out there, and I'm sure you guys feel exactly the same."

• Get a copy of the matchday programme at Anfield or order online here