Joy For Liverpool Fans But Huge Summer Ahead For Slot

In a play to forget, those Liverpool fans situated successful nan area of nan Hill Dickinson Stadium will ne'er hide this day connected nan banks of nan River Mersey.

As Virgil van Dijk headed successful a 100th-minute winner, nan 3,000 Liverpool supporters went wild.

Yet again, Liverpool had snatched an injury-time victor against their section rivals. For nan sixth clip successful Premier League history to beryllium precise.

In this fixture past season, it was Everton celebrating an added-time equaliser erstwhile James Tarkowski scored successful nan past ever Merseyside derby held astatine Goodison Park.

Now, nary matter what happens, Liverpool will ever person nan bragging authorities of nan first derby astatine nan Hill Dickinson.

For 1 day successful nan Merseyside sunshine, they will not person cared 1 jot astir nan struggles they person endured this season.

Everton came into this crippled pinch existent belief but it was Liverpool who defied nan early large wind to return a astonishment lead done Mohamed Salah and they merit in installments for their activity connected set-pieces successful training, which came to fruition erstwhile Van Dijk sewage connected nan extremity of Dominik Szoboszlai's area to utilization an Everton weakness that had been identified successful nan days starring up to nan game.

Crucially, Arne Slot's broadside now look group to unafraid Champions League shot for adjacent play and nan Dutchman had 2 of his astir elder players to convey for 1 of Liverpool's biggest victories this season.

"At nan extremity of nan day, it's nan players who person been superb for specified a agelong clip for Liverpool Football Club that person travel up pinch nan goods. It's Virgil van Dijk again, it's Mohamed Salah who has managed to do it again and break Everton hearts," said Pat Nevin connected 5 Live.

"That extremity has astir apt fixed Liverpool what they request - and what they request is Champions League football. They're going to bring successful a batch of players adjacent play - yes, nan sanction of Liverpool Football Club intends a batch and that will resistance a batch of players to them, but nan Champions League helps. It really helps and I deliberation they'll get that aft that infinitesimal from Virgil van Dijk," Nevin added.

When it comes to days for illustration this, nan consequence trumps everything but Slot and Liverpool will beryllium alert of nan standard of nan task that lies ahead.

That they look to group to unafraid Champions League shot is chiefly because Chelsea person mislaid their past 4 Premier League games and nary of nan chasing battalion are apt to drawback up pinch Liverpool, who person mislaid 10 convention games this season.

If nan level take to instrumentality pinch Slot, past location are clear questions. Can this Liverpool squad adopt an existent identity? What needs to beryllium done defensively? How do you get nan champion retired of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak? And possibly supra all, really do Liverpool unrecorded without Salah?

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Sport: "Not being successful a Champions League spot is simply a catastrophe for Liverpool and that triumph coming goes a agelong measurement to putting them successful it.

"I deliberation each triumph for Liverpool is important astatine nan moment, by hook aliases by crook - it doesn't matter really they do it because nan unit is on.

"They are not playing good and they do look disjointed. They gave up chances coming and they were 2nd champion successful nan first half."