Take a look at Liverpool’s goalscorers on Sunday – Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk.
Just when you thought there would be no more moments, no more history, no more footnotes in the annals of the living legends, they add one more line.
Salah became the first goalscorer in a Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson. Van Dijk netted the latest ever winning goal in a Merseyside derby. Somewhere, someone is updating the history books.
Salah, Van Dijk, Alisson, Andy Robertson, even Trent Alexander-Arnold, all stand as monuments to quality. They represent irreplaceable and unique talents that have carved their names into the rich history of the football club, season after season.
But nothing lasts forever, especially not in football, and time has caught up with Liverpool’s roster of modern-day greats. That’s why in the summer the Reds bought the best striker on the market for £125m in Alexander Isak. And it’s also why they paid up to £79m for the second-best striker on the market — Hugo Ekitike. It’s why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz for £115m instead of Rayan Cherki.
Now, it’s fair to say that sitting in fifth place and on track for a record number of defeats in a season this century, that the gamble on quality hasn’t gone to plan. But the reason Liverpool are able to win their first away Merseyside derby since 2021, or to score late-winners seven times this season, is because of that decision to pursue quality. Liverpool have not been well-coached this season, nor would it take a sports scientist to observe that they are not well-conditioned either. Under these circumstances, to secure a Champions League place would be a massive achievement.
The Opta supercomputer now decrees Liverpool’s chances of a top five finish sit at 89%. Now look at the players again. Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate (who has all but committed his future to the club), Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Isak. The spine of Liverpool’s next great team is already assembled. With better coaching, good recruitment and leaving a little less to the capricious hand of Lady Luck, this Liverpool side will be back next season.
Find more from Lola Katz Roberts the Goal Difference podcast
