Despite losing Salah and Nunez, van Dijk is confident as Liverpool faces Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has fired a message to Chelsea, telling them not to take Liverpool lightly just because Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez might not play in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.

Jurgen Klopp's Reds showed they can still score goals without their top talent when they beat Luton Town 4-1 in midweek when they kept up their Premier League title charge.

Salah and Nunez might not play in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday because of injury. Salah was rested for Luton after playing his first game in a month at Brentford a week ago and Nunez also missed Wednesday's match.

Even without Diogo Jota, who will miss the Carabao Cup final because of a knee injury, Liverpool still have Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz who have been in fine form recently.

But van Dijk says Chelsea should still be careful and wary of a depleted Liverpool. The Blues are out for revenge after losing to Liverpool in a penalty shootout two years ago.

"If they take us lightly then that's their problem. That fear factor, we don't influence that," van Dijk said.

The Dutchman is looking for the players who are being called upon to show their worth. "I think the players coming in then have to step up and show they're wrong," he added. "I think that's the only way to do it."