Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confessed that he did not consider the possibility of losing to Tottenham Hotspur after the Reds thrashed the Lilywhites 5-1 to clinch the 2024-25 Premier League title.
Champions-in-waiting before the weekend, Liverpool only needed to draw with Ange Postecoglou's side on Sunday to officially take Arsenal out of the race and win Premier League crown number two.
Tottenham threatened to spoil Liverpool's title party, though, taking the lead in front of the Kop through a Dominic Solanke header, but the hosts' response was nothing short of sensational.
Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah all struck before a Destiny Udogie own goal capped off a magnificent afternoon for the Reds, who celebrated their Premier League coronation with four games to spare.
After becoming the first Dutch coach to win the Premier League, and the fifth manager to win the competition in their first season after Antonio Conte, Manuel Pellegrini, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho, Slot admitted that the thought of defeat on Sunday never crossed his mind.
Slot: 'Liverpool could not have lost against Tottenham'
© Imago
"It's difficult to put into words," Slot told Sky Sports News at full time. "You can feel how important it was for the fans to be here. We always come back, we always find a way to win. I don't think we could have lost today.
"Our main focus was to win this game, if you are a part of it you still feel the pressure of getting the points over the line. For the whole season we were on top of the league but you also know how hard the Premier League is. The belief for us to win it was here throughout the season."
Slot's long-serving troops - Van Dijk, Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez - had already experienced one dose of Premier League glory in 2020, albeit one at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
No fans were present inside Anfield to witness Jordan Henderson hoist the trophy aloft five years ago, but a jam-packed stadium broke out into an emotional rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone after their side tore Tottenham apart.
Skipper Van Dijk could not help but bellow out the Liverpool anthem with his beloved fans, whom he will be playing in front of for at least a couple more seasons after signing his new contract until 2027.
Van Dijk: 'Liverpool is the most beautiful club in the world'
© Iconsport
The Dutchman subsequently revealed his 'desperation' to bring Premier League glory to the fans again, adding: "It's amazing. Today was a lot of emotions, throughout the whole week, we've got the job done and we're deserved champions.
"This is the most beautiful club in the world. We deserve all of this. Let's enjoy the next couple of weeks. I was desperate for these fans, and the fans around the world."
As well as earning Premier League title number two, Liverpool took home their 20th top-flight title in English football, matching the all-time record previously held by Manchester United.
Before the Reds can get the party well and truly started, though, they have four more assignments to complete against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, the latter of which on May 25 will precede the official trophy lift.
Ben Knapton
