Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says it is the "hardest time" to work in the Premier League following a dramatic 2-1 win against West Ham which leaves his side a maximum of six points away from the title.

If Van Dijk joins Egyptian and stays at Liverpool, Arne Slot can focus on refining his squad rather than filling two voids A flinch towards the ball that drew in Ollie Scarles, a duck to get out of the way of it and a spin and burst that took him away from the 19-year-old. Perhaps his cross on the run with the outside of his left foot was intended for Diogo Jota rather than Luis Díaz, who converted, but it hardly mattered. At the very least the ball had been delivered with an awkward shape that took it away from the goalkeeper into an extremely dangerous area. And it wasn’t about the cross anyway; it was about the turn. It may be that in two years’ time as a 35-year-old Mohamed Salah clanks about, huffing and puffing, slowing down attacks and generally getting in the way, there will be questions asked about why Liverpool gave him a two-year extension. But nobody at Anfield on Sunday was doubting the deal. It’s not just that this was Salah’s 55th goal involvement of the season, it was the nature of that spin, the imagination and the execution; there are very few players who could conceive of such a move, let alone pull it off. Even if Salah’s legs do begin to fail him, having a few months more of that improvisational potential feels worth it. Continue reading...

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. Continue reading...

Minute-by-minute updates from this 2pm BST kick-offPremier League table | Top scorers | Email Simon Team news is in, and here are the names in the frame this afternoon: Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Jones, Diaz, Jota. Subs: Jaros, Kelleher, Endo, Szoboszlai, Chiesa, Gakpo, Elliott, Robertson, Quansah. West Ham: Areola, Todibo, Mavropanos, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka, Soler, Ward-Prowse, Scarles, Kudus, Lucas Paqueta, Bowen. Subs: Fabianski, Coufal, Fullkrug, Luis Guilherme, Alvarez, Rodriguez, Soucek, Emerson Palmieri, Ferguson. Referee: Andrew Madley. It is not a question of who will win the Premier League title but how it will be won: at a canter or with Liverpool testing the anxiety levels of their supporters once again? The answer should become clearer after West Ham’s visit. A catalogue of individual errors resulted in the end of Liverpool’s 26-game unbeaten league run at Fulham last weekend and left Arne Slot’s team still needing 11 points to secure the club’s 20th league championship, although the total will be fewer should Arsenal drop any more points. West Ham, Leicester and Tottenham, Liverpool’s next three opponents, present the more straightforward route to victory than trying to get over the line against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Crystal Palace in the final four games of the season. Anfield could be an apprehensive place on Sunday and will be looking to the team’s experienced leaders to get the job almost done. Continue reading...