In a season to forget, those Liverpool fans situated in the corner of the Hill Dickinson Stadium will never forget this afternoon on the banks of the River Mersey.

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

Yet again, Liverpool had snatched an injury-time winner against their local rivals. For the sixth time in Premier League history to be precise.

In this fixture last season, it was Everton celebrating an added-time equaliser when James Tarkowski scored in the last ever Merseyside derby held at Goodison Park.

Now, no matter what happens, Liverpool will always have the bragging rights of the first derby at the Hill Dickinson.

For one afternoon in the Merseyside sunshine, they will not have cared one jot about the struggles they have endured this season.

Everton came into this game with real belief but it was Liverpool who defied the early storm to take a surprise lead through Mohamed Salah and they deserve credit for their work on set-pieces in training, which came to fruition when Van Dijk got on the end of Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner to exploit an Everton weakness that had been identified in the days leading up to the game.

Crucially, Arne Slot’s side now look set to secure Champions League football for next season and the Dutchman had two of his most senior players to thank for one of Liverpool’s biggest victories this season.

“At the end of the day, it’s the players who have been brilliant for such a long time for Liverpool Football Club that have come up with the 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 on 5 Live.

“That goal has probably given Liverpool what they need – and what they need is Champions League football. They’re going to bring in a lot of players next season – yes, the name of Liverpool Football Club means a lot and that will drag a lot of players to them, but the Champions League helps. It really helps and I think they’ll get that after that moment from Virgil van Dijk,” Nevin added.

When it comes to days like this, the result trumps everything but Slot and Liverpool will be aware of the scale of the task that lies ahead.

That they look to set to secure Champions League football is primarily because Chelsea have lost their last four Premier League games and none of the chasing pack are likely to catch up with Liverpool, who have lost 10 league games this season.

If the hierarchy choose to stick with Slot, then there are clear questions. Can this Liverpool team adopt an actual identity? What needs to be done defensively? How do you get the best out of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak? And perhaps above all, how do Liverpool live without Salah?

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Sport: “Not being in a Champions League spot is a catastrophe for Liverpool and that win today goes a long way to putting them in it.

“I think every win for Liverpool is important at the moment, by hook or by crook – it doesn’t matter how they do it because the pressure is on.

“They are not playing well and they do look disjointed. They gave up chances today and they were second best in the first half.”

Salah’s first-half goal was his ninth in a Merseyside derby – in the Premier League era, no player has more, with only Steven Gerrard level with the Egyptian – and his 257th for Liverpool.

“There will be a lot of words coming out of my mouth in the next couple of weeks about him. But he’s so important for us, on and off the pitch,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports.

“He’s an outstanding team-mate to have, we’ve been through everything together, high and lows. He will still be important for the last five games we have to play.

“It will be emotional for him and his family for sure but us as well because he means a lot to me, to the team and the fans of course. But first, we still have a job to do. He knows it, that’s the main focus.”

With a seven-point lead over Chelsea, Brentford and Bournemouth and five games remaining, Liverpool’s job of securing Champions League football may well be achieved in the coming weeks.

For Slot, that will at least be an “acceptable” campaign as he suggested earlier in the season. And it may well be enough to give him the chance to go again this summer. His current deal as Liverpool boss expires next summer.

“My players did what I was hoping they’d do, what I expected they’d do and give Everton a big fight,” Slot told Match of the Day.

“In the end, scoring is a joy to see because our away fans were brilliant today. A good day for the red side of Liverpool.”

Not a good season but certainly a good day indeed – a day that will live long in the memory for the red half of Merseyside. (BBC)

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