Van Dijk and Liverpool come alive after sleepwalking in Hammers trouble

It was van Dijk’s error, although his teammate was “credited” with the own goal, but one that finally saw Liverpool burst into life after sleepwalking through most of the game.

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk celebrates after scoring the winner. Pic: Ian Hodgson

VIRGIL van Dijk’s contract saga will roll on, for a few more days at least, but his 89th minute winner in this nervous victory simply underlined his importance to Liverpool and lifted his club to the brink of the title.

They can actually win it as early as Sunday - if a victory at Leicester is accompanied by Arsenal losing at Ipswich - but it is only a matter of time before Arne Slot can finally abandon caution and start talking about his club’s second title in five years.