A record-equalling 20th English top-flight title could come as early as next Sunday if Liverpool win at Leicester and Arsenal lose away to Ipswich.
Virgil van Dijk spared Liverpool’s blushes with a late winner to beat West Ham 2-1 on Sunday and edge to within six points of the Premier League title.
Andy Robertson’s own goal four minutes from time had given the lowly Hammers a deserved equaliser after Luis Diaz put Liverpool in front early on.
Van Dijk, though, swiftly restored the lead to show Liverpool retain the mentality of champions, even if they are running out of steam in the closing stages of the season.
“That was a relief because to me it felt after West Ham scored and the way the second half went, it was maybe more that you could expect them scoring,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot.
“But our fans and our players thought differently because from the moment they scored the 1-1, we started playing again, we started pressing again. The fans were really loud at that moment of time.”
Liverpool’s lead stretches to 13 points with six games remaining.
Liverpool’s Colombian midfielder #07 Luis Diaz (2nd R) celebrates with Liverpool’s English midfielder #17 Curtis Jones (R), Liverpool’s Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah and Liverpool’s Northern Irish defender #84 Conor Bradley after scoring his team first goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and West Ham United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 13, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
A record-equalling 20th English top-flight title could come as early as next Sunday if Liverpool win at Leicester and Arsenal lose away to Ipswich.
The stage was set before kick-off for Mohamed Salah to be the hero as the Egyptian was given a huge ovation just days after ending speculation over his future by signing a new two-year contract.
Salah started with the intention of making sure he was the focus of attention as young left-back Ollie Scarles struggled to cope with the Premier League’s top scorer.
The 32-year-old has failed to score in seven of his last eight Liverpool games as his sensational early season form has failed off.
But he still managed to set a new Premier League record by registering his 45th goal or assist of the campaign, the most ever in a 38-game season.
Salah outmuscled Scarles on the touchline and sprinted clear before an inch-perfect cross for Diaz allowed the Colombian to tap in for his 15th goal of the season on 18 minutes.
Defeat sees West Ham slip to 17th in the table, but they had a series of chances to take at least a point.
The fatigue that has seen Liverpool struggle in recent times was in evidence again as they had goalkeeper Alisson Becker to thank for moving another three points closer to the title.
Alisson brilliantly tipped Mohammed Kudus’ attempted chip onto the bar with the visitors first serious attack.
Jarrod Bowen had West Ham’s best chance to level when he failed to beat Alisson when one-on-one with the Brazilian before he turned away another powerful drive by Kudus.
When West Ham did finally find the net, it was thanks to two of Liverpool’s most experienced defenders.
Liverpool’s Dutch manager Arne Slot celebrates at the end of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and West Ham United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 13, 2025. Liverpool wins 2 – 1 against West Ham United. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Robertson and Van Dijk both went for the same ball and the Scotland captain diverted Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross into his own net.
The goal suddenly sparked Liverpool into life after a listless second half as Diaz’s deflected effort went over the bar.
Van Dijk took just three minutes to make amends for the equaliser as he powered in Alexis Mac Allister’s corner.
The Dutchman kissed the badge in celebration in a potential nod to him reportedly being close to following Salah in signing a new contract.
There was still more drama to come as Niclas Fullkrug hit the bar for West Ham in stoppage time.
But Liverpool held out to take another step towards the title in Slot’s first season in charge.
to Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze on the passing of his mother.
The President also extends his sympathies to the family and friends of Mrs Sarah Chukwueze, who passed away on Thursday.
President Tinubu mourns with the Chukwueze family and encourages them to find solace in the memory and legacy of their late matriarch.
“The passing of Mrs Chukwueze, the mother of one of our bright football stars, just a few days after the passing of Super Eagles’ captain Wilfred Ndidi’s father, is deeply saddening.
I mourn with them, and I am with them in prayers during this difficult time,” the President says.
President Tinubu prays that God Almighty will grant the departed eternal rest.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information and Strategy)
Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has attributed Nigeria’s failure to clinch the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco to what he described as indiscipline on the part of Victor Osimhen, arguing that individual actions disrupted team unity at a critical stage of the tournament.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Oliseh said Osimhen’s public confrontation with teammate Ademola Lookman during Nigeria’s 4–0 Round of 16 win over Mozambique disrupted the squad’s chemistry and weakened their title chances.
During the match, Osimhen appeared to rebuke Lookman for not releasing the ball in an attacking move, an incident that drew backlash from fans who criticised the striker’s conduct as unprofessional.
Oliseh claimed the consequences were felt beyond the Mozambique fixture, insisting Lookman’s form dipped noticeably afterwards, affecting Nigeria’s attacking potency in the semifinal.
“Let’s look at the toxicity that might have cost us the AFCON title,” he said. “We are confusing talent with licence. Victor Osimhen is world-class, but talent is not a license to destroy team chemistry.”
“Look at the evidence. Since that public outburst against Ademola Lookman, one of our brightest lights, he became a shadow of himself, and we lost our bite. When you publicly diminish your teammates, you break their spirit.”
He added that Lookman had been “the most dangerous player in the tournament until that public verbal abuse broke his focus,” arguing that Nigeria lost “the psychological edge needed to win” against a disciplined Moroccan side in the semifinal.
Oliseh also criticized what he described as a fan culture that now tolerates such behavior: “What’s worse, and frankly, what’s most dangerous for our football is the fan culture that now tolerates this.”
His critique widened to include Osimhen’s earlier public comments attacking former Super Eagles coach Finidi George. While acknowledging Osimhen’s value, Oliseh stressed that no player is bigger than the national team.
“Scoring goals for Nigeria doesn’t give you a licence to disrespect certified legends like Finidi George or Victor Ikpeba. It doesn’t give you the right to disrespect your coaches or teammates,” he said. “If goals alone justified arrogance, what should the legends who put Nigeria at the pinnacle of world football, like Amokachi, Amunike, Okocha, Babangida and myself, do? Walk on people’s heads?”
Oliseh warned that continued indiscipline and poor administration would damage the team’s future: “If we don’t fix the discipline and the administration, there won’t be a Super Eagles left to support.”
He also criticised the celebrations that followed Nigeria’s third-place finish, when the Super Eagles beat Egypt on penalties.
“There was a time the Super Eagles shed tears at second place, because to us anything but the trophy was a failure; celebrating third place built a culture of mediocrity,” he said.
