Virgil van Dijk brought Anfield to its feet with a dramatic late winner against West Ham United, edging Liverpool one step closer to the Premier League title. With just six matches left, the Reds now sit six points away from securing domestic glory, thanks to the captain’s 89th-minute header that sealed a 2-1 victory.
Earlier in the match, Luis Diaz opened the scoring with a well-taken first-half goal, assisted by a brilliant outside-of-the-boot pass from Mohamed Salah. But the lead didn’t last long. A miscommunication at the back between Van Dijk and Andy Robertson led to an unfortunate own goal, momentarily leveling the scoreline and casting a shadow over Liverpool’s dominance.
Van Dijk, however, refused to let that error define the evening. Rising above the West Ham defense, he powered in a header that restored Liverpool’s lead and reignited the title charge. Speaking after the match, Van Dijk admitted he had heard Robertson’s call but acknowledged these things happen in football. More importantly, he expressed pride in putting things right and scoring the decisive goal.
The match held extra emotional weight, as it marked Van Dijk’s 100th league appearance as Liverpool captain. He spoke about the importance of honoring the Hillsborough anniversary, emphasizing the desire among players, staff, and supporters to achieve something special this season. His leadership and resilience were clear throughout the match—and his goal might go down as one of the defining moments of this campaign.
Salah, who recently signed a contract extension with the club, didn’t find the net this time, but his influence was felt in the buildup to Diaz’s goal. The Egyptian forward emphasized the importance of securing the win, especially given the tight competition at the top of the table. Recalling Liverpool’s 2019-20 title triumph during lockdown, Salah expressed the team’s motivation to bring the trophy home in front of their fans this time around.
With the season reaching its final stretch, Liverpool are in a commanding position. Here’s the current Premier League table after 32 matches:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 32 | 23 | 7 | 2 | +43 | 76 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 32 | 17 | 12 | 3 | +30 | 63 |
| 3 | Nottm Forest | 32 | 17 | 6 | 9 | +13 | 57 |
| 4 | Man City | 32 | 16 | 7 | 9 | +20 | 55 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 32 | 15 | 9 | 8 | +17 | 54 |
| 6 | Newcastle | 31 | 16 | 6 | 9 | +13 | 54 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 32 | 15 | 9 | 8 | +3 | 54 |
| 8 | Fulham | 31 | 13 | 9 | 9 | +5 | 48 |
| 9 | Brighton | 32 | 12 | 12 | 8 | +2 | 48 |
| 10 | Bournemouth | 31 | 12 | 9 | 10 | +11 | 45 |
| 11 | Brentford | 32 | 12 | 7 | 13 | +4 | 43 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 31 | 11 | 10 | 10 | +1 | 43 |
| 13 | Man Utd | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 39 |
| 14 | Everton | 32 | 8 | 14 | 10 | -4 | 38 |
| 15 | Tottenham | 32 | 11 | 4 | 17 | +11 | 37 |
| 16 | Wolves | 32 | 10 | 5 | 17 | -14 | 35 |
| 17 | West Ham | 32 | 9 | 8 | 15 | -18 | 35 |
| 18 | Ipswich | 32 | 4 | 9 | 19 | -34 | 21 |
| 19 | Leicester | 32 | 4 | 6 | 22 | -45 | 18 |
| 20 | Southampton | 32 | 2 | 4 | 26 | -54 | 10 |
With six matches remaining and momentum firmly on their side, Liverpool look poised to finish the season on a high. Every game now carries the weight of a potential title-decider, and the squad knows exactly what’s at stake. If Van Dijk’s goal was any indication, this team is ready to rise to the occasion.
