Has Virgil van Dijk wrapped up race for Champions League despite Liverpool’s goalkeeper crisis?

Virgil van Dijk scored a 100th-minute winner as Liverpool left it late to beat Everton in the first Merseyside derby to be played at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and claim a huge Premier League victory. Mohamed Salah had struck Liverpool’s first goal at Everton’s new stadium just two-and-a-half minutes after Iliman Ndiaye thought he had given the hosts a deserved lead, only to see his strike disallowed for an offside in the build-up. Everton responded well in the second half and pulled themselves level when Beto slid in to finish Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s cross, which left Liverpool turning to their third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman after an injury to Giorgio Mamardashvili.

Substitute Rio Ngumoha had a very late chance to win the derby for Liverpool but, in the last minute of 11 minutes of stoppage time, Van Dijk rose to head in a corner and secure a famous win for the visitors. It leaves Liverpool seven points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea in the race for the final Champions League spot, with five games of the season remaining. Chelsea lost 1-0 to Manchester United last night.

Has Van Dijk’s latest Merseyside derby winner ended top-five race? Virgil van Dijk’s first goal for Liverpool came as he rose from an inswinging corner from the left to head in a late winner against Everton in the FA Cup third round. Eight years on from the captain’s dramatic debut at Anfield, Van Dijk provided another historic Merseyside derby moment when he headed in Liverpool’s winner at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Liverpool have conceded seven goals in stoppage-time in the Premier League this season, losing games at Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Wolves and against Manchester City. But this was an call-back to Liverpool’s run at the start of the season, when they won games late on against Bournemouth and Newcastle. Liverpool are often involved in late drama, but Arne Slot could reflect that was about time it went his side’s way.