Liverpool manager Arne Slot was delighted with his side’s showing as they closed in on a first Premier League title since 2020 with a 2-1 win over West Ham United.
The Reds had the chance to increase their gap at the top of the standings, after second-placed Arsenal had dropped points in a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Saturday.
Egyptian playmaker Mohamed Salah, fresh off signing a contract extension at the club until 2027, broke the record for the most goal involvements in a 38-game league season when he played a defence-splitting pass for Luis Diaz, to put the league leaders ahead in the 18th minute.
“That is what we’ve done the whole season. After the disappointment of being knocked out by PSG, we show up again, show up every three days, with this mentality.
We don’t win games the easy way. The easy way is taking control of the ball, pass it around five times and we have a goal and the next goal and the next goal”, Slot said after the match.
“If we achieve something this year, it’s mainly to do with the mentality the players have shown. That’s what you saw today as well.”
The Hammers got back on level terms in the 86th minute after a mix-up between Virgil Van Dijk and Andy Robertson, resulting in an own goal from the latter.
Van Dijk made amends for his earlier error three minutes later when he headed home from an Alexis MacAllister cornerkick, to spark wild jubilations from the Anfield faithfuls.
German striker Niclas Fullkrug struck the bar in stoppage time although the Reds held on for another victory as they moved 13 points clear of Arsenal in second place, with six games remaining.
“Very difficult second half, we needed Alisson because Paqueta and Kudus were incredible the whole game. And then we conceded the 1-1, with an own goal. How much more disappointment can you get after what happened last week? Getting the goal with Virgil shows you how much mentality these boys have”, Slot continued.
“The whole season has been hard for us, every win – except two or three – has been really difficult. The last three games have shown us how difficult it is to win a game of football, let alone one at the end of the season. We go again next week against Leicester.”
Arne Slot side have the chance to win a 20th top-flight title next week if Arsenal lose against Ipswich Town and they defeat relegation-threatened Leicester City.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
