ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL // Another six points. That is all that Liverpool requires to confirm its inevitable 20th league title after Luis Diaz sent the Reds on their way to a win over West Ham United and Virgil van Dijk was required to pop up with a late winner.
Diaz put Liverpool in front in a dominant first half when Mohamed Salah’s cross left him with an empty goal to pass into at the far post. And though the home side’s performance in the second half fell a little flat for a while and Alisson Becker made a good stop from Jarrod Bowen, the Reds did get over the line.
Cody Gakpo and Andy Robertson were meant to inject some fresh impetus from the bench but the latter smashed one into his own net and then Van Dijk powered home from a corner. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded.
Mohamed Salah celebrations say it all
Fresh from signing a new contract that could keep him playing at Anfield until 2027, Salah’s name was cheered more loudly than anyone else as the teams were read out before kick-off. The renditions of his terrace song were plentiful as fans basked in the knowledge that he is sticking around for another two years.
On the field, the Egyptian had not scored from open play since facing Manchester City in February at the Etihad Stadium, and not at all at club level since he netted two from the penalty spot against Southampton at Anfield last month. Salah fizzed a couple of sighters towards Alphonse Areola before he set up Diaz to net the opener.
He couldn’t end his goalless drought here and looked frustrated when he was subbed off. The records will start to tumble again soon, though, with there now being two more years of watching the Liverpool number 11 to look forward to. Even though he was relatively quiet in the game, the crowd made their feelings known and the sound of his song being repeated said it all about the feeling of relief and delight that he has penned an extension.
(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Luis Diaz and Virgil van Dijk decisive
Diaz was lively all game down the left flank. Scoring his 15th of the season in all competitions, the South American looked in a positive mood. He and Salah took center stage (for different reasons) while Diogo Jota was quieter in the middle of the forward line.
Too often in his Liverpool career, Diaz hasn’t scored the easy ones. He did well in all aspects of this game, giving Aaron Wan-Bissaka a test by taking him this way and then that. By finding the back of the net, though, the Liverpool number seven was able to do what he needs to do even more often: provide a goal contribution.
Celebrating by sitting on the advertising hoardings with Salah, he thoroughly enjoyed his moment. If he can get close to 20 goals across the course of the season, with six more games remaining for him to add to his tally, that will help shape the narrative ahead of another summer when he is likely to be linked with a move away.
Van Dijk, meanwhile, is expected to follow Salah in penning new terms shortly. He scored the late winner after being involved in the messy equalizer and celebrated wildly.
Arne Slot gets what he wants (for a while)
It was almost too easy in the first half for Ryan Gravenberch at the base of the Liverpool midfield. He and Alexis Mac Allister were able to pop the ball around with ease and helped the Reds pen West Ham back into its own defensive third.
That is the kind of dominant soccer that Liverpool has aimed to play all season long and with a full week of training to prepare, it should be no surprise that Arne Slot’s men were able to produce it. They were caught offside more than usual, but didn’t really have too many problems in the game in the first 45 minutes.
Mohammed Kudus was a threat at times and Jarrod Bowen had one chance after the break, but Liverpool was mainly comfortable aside from that. Right until it wasn’t, at least.
(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Konstantinos Mavropanos headed one over the top from a corner just before half-time and Kudus had hit the bar earlier in the first period, but there was little to worry the returning Alisson in the Liverpool goal until the second period. It had been a dominant showing but West Ham knew there was a chance for it to level with there only being a one-goal margin.
Slot would have liked it to be comfortable for the whole game but his side did just about do enough to get the win. At this stage of the season, that is all that matters.
Liverpool changes justified
Arne Slot has not rotated often, but Alisson Becker and Conor Bradley came back here. That is not rotation — they have been out injured — but they came back in, and Kostas Tsimikas did too. Dominik Szoboszlai was finally given a rest, with Curtis Jones preferred.
Liverpool had a full week to prepare for this game after losing to Fulham. With no midweek games for the rest of the season, it is something they are going to have to get used to.
The players looked good for the rest, playing with confidence and keeping possession with ease. Those who came in did well enough — Tsimikas was solid but unspectacular, for instance — and Slot’s side did just about enough to win the game and edge one more step closer to confirming the inevitable.
Premier League title edges closer
With a win, Liverpool knew it could move within six points of the Premier League title here. In reality, it might not even be that much considering Arsenal is focusing on the Champions League and has accepted defeat domestically.
It is possible that the Premier League title could be confirmed on Easter Sunday, next weekend, if Arsenal has lost to Ipswich Town before that and then the Reds win at Leicester City. Failing that, it could be Spurs the following week — but the bottom line is that it is now not that far away.
When it is done — and it is a matter of when, not if — Arne Slot will be able to reflect on a superb debut campaign. At least in the first half of this game, it was clear why Liverpool is in an unassailable position.
For the first 45 minutes, this was another example of the kind of style that he has successfully implemented: composed and confident in out and out of possession. In the second, it was a classic case of needing to get the points somehow — in any way possible — even if there was a dramatic finish required in the end.
