Virgil van Dijk’s header sinks West Ham to edge Liverpool closer to title

When Liverpool fans next congregate at Anfield in two Sundays’ time it should be for an occasion they have craved for 35 years: to celebrate a league title triumph in person. A dramatic late victory over West Ham, secured by Virgil van Dijk’s 89th-minute winner, left Arne Slot’s side needing a maximum of six points to claim a record-equalling 20th league championship.

The destiny of the Premier League title will be confirmed next Sunday should Arsenal lose at Ipswich and Liverpool win at Leicester. If not, two more wins will make sure for the Anfield club. Leicester and Tottenham come next. They can feel it. Liverpool were second best for much of the second half against Graham Potter’s visitors and indebted to Alisson for delaying an equaliser until a Van Dijk error forced Andy Robertson to concede an own goal in the 86th minute. But the Liverpool captain atoned in style and celebrated a precious winner by kissing the Liver bird on his chest. A new two-year contract to follow that of Mohamed Salah should be confirmed soon.

This, initially at least, was a celebration of Salah’s new deal and his continued brilliance. The game was preceded by a solemn tribute to the 97 Liverpool supporters who were unlawfully killed at Hillsborough. “Unlawfully killed – Unfairly blamed” read one banner on the Kop, which was bedecked in a “97” mosaic before the 36th anniversary of the disaster on Tuesday. Another banner paid a fitting tribute to Phil Hammond, the tireless campaigner and former chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, who died in January. “The legend behind the truth,” it said, perfectly capturing the great man’s legacy.

Whether it was the lift of Salah signing a two-year contract extension or Arsenal’s latest draw bringing the title ever closer, Liverpool appeared liberated against West Ham in the early exchanges. Their structure and work-rate were as impressive as usual but Salah and co also made a point of enjoying themselves.

Luis Díaz tested Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal and Conor Bradley had a shot deflected just wide from the edge of the box before the Egypt international started to shine. His first act was to exquisitely control a long ball from Ibrahima Konaté, shift inside Oliver Scarles and curl a shot wide from a tight angle. Salah berated himself for not producing a trademark finish. No matter. A similar move resulted in the breakthrough one minute later.

This time Salah spun away from Scarles as Konaté fired another searching pass down the right channel. The visiting defence was exposed and the Liverpool forward sprinted away to flick an inviting cross into the area. Diogo Jota was unable to connect but Díaz, sprinting in behind unchecked, converted with ease. The Colombian celebrated by adopting Salah’s pose on an advertising hoarding. Scarles, the 19-year-old from Bromley in south-east London, could only rue the punishing education being meted out by one of the finest players in the world.

Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk show their disbelief after the former’s own goal. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Areola denied Alexis Mac Allister as Liverpool pressed for the luxury of a second goal. Gradually, however, with West Ham’s well-organised defence restricting the hosts and the visitors’ creative assets, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paquetá, seeing more of the ball, Potter’s team turned the tide completely. It spoke volumes that Alisson proved a decisive figure.

There were warnings for Liverpool in the first half. Aaron Wan-Bissaka pierced their backline to put Carlos Soler through on goal but Alisson was off his line quickly to block. The rebound broke to Kudus, whose audacious attempt was sailing into the Liverpool goal until the back-tracking Brazil international tipped his chip onto the crossbar. Kudus also shot just wide from 25 yards and Konstantinos Mavropanos headed over from James Ward-Prowse’s corner in stoppage time. Unmarked and six yards out, the central defender should have scored.

Heartened, West Ham took the game to Liverpool after the break and deserved much more than the late punishment that the soon-to-be champions inflicted. Vladimir Coufal’s introduction for Scarles, with Wan-Bissaka shifting to the left, played a major part in the transformation of the contest. Soler should have equalised from Bowen’s low cross after Van Dijk had failed to clear, only to blaze over from 12 yards out. Paquetá played Bowen through on goal with a superb pass but Alisson stood tall for as long as possible and blocked the West Ham captain’s chip with his chest. The Liverpool keeper made another excellent save, low to his left, when Wan-Bissaka released Kudus inside the penalty area.

A West Ham goal was coming with Liverpool increasingly out of sorts and losing the midfield battle. The manner of it encapsulated the home side’s second-half performance. Wan-Bissaka broke free down the left and floated a cross into the centre. Van Dijk, perhaps not hearing a call from Robertson, sliced a clearance against the unfortunate substitute and the ball bounced inside Alisson’s right corner. The captain delivered the perfect apology.

Liverpool came alive after the West Ham equaliser, with Díaz striking the crossbar via the chest of Wan-Bissaka. Attempting to clear the resulting corner, Paquetá claimed to have been fouled by Mac Allister. Play continued with Areola conceding a second corner from Mac Allister’s low shot towards the near post. The Argentina international took the set piece and there was Van Dijk, too strong for Niclas Füllkrug, to power a header into the Kop goal and take the roof off Anfield. Almost there.