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: the celebration of a league title triumph in person. This visit was fraught, West Ham’s second-half superiority putting the place on edge, but Virgil van Dijk’s late rescue act ensured two more wins will get the title party started.

The captain’s 89th-minute winner came three minutes after his error led to Andy Robertson putting through his own goal and giving West Ham a richly deserved equaliser. Van Dijk atoned in style and, while Anfield basked in the relief and joy of a precious victory, he made a point of kissing the Liver bird on his chest. A new two-year contract to follow that of Mohamed Salah should be confirmed soon. All that matters to Arne Slot, however, is getting the job done against Leicester and Tottenham. The Premier League title will be decided before Spurs’ visit Anfield in a fortnight should Arsenal lose at Ipswich and Liverpool win at Leicester next Sunday. A record-equalling 20th league championship is so close that Liverpool can almost feel it.

Anfield was in the mood to celebrate Salah’s new deal and his continued brilliance initially. 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 Tuesday’s 36th anniversary of the disaster. 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 in the early exchanges. Salah and co were enjoying themselves. Luis Díaz tested Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal and Conor Bradley had a shot deflected just wide 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. Díaz 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. This was Salah’s 23rd assist of the season in all competitions.

View image in fullscreen 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 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 emerged as a decisive figure.

There were warnings for Liverpool in the first half. Aaron Wan-Bissaka 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 goalkeeper tipped his chip on to the crossbar. 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. 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 when Kudus aimed low for the far corner.

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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 display. Wan-Bissaka broke free down the left and floated a cross into the centre. Van Dijk, not heeding a call from the substitute Robertson, sliced a clearance against the unfortunate left-back and the ball rebounded 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. 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. There was still time for Füllkrug to rattle Alisson’s crossbar with a powerful header but Liverpool survived. Almost there.

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