The growing certainty that the pain of 30 years without a league title will be relieved within weeks is something Liverpool have clearly been trying to keep a lid on – but the explosion of joy around Anfield in the closing seconds of victory over Manchester United sounded like the moment of release.
The Premier League title race has been over for weeks, no matter how many words of caution came out of Liverpool or how many messages of defiance came from the direction of Manchester City and Leicester City.
As Mohamed Salah raced on to goalkeeper Alisson’s injury-time pass, held off the chasing Daniel James and rolled his finish beyond United keeper David de Gea, there was almost a symbolism about the celebrations.
“We’re going to win the league” rang around Anfield at greater volume and with greater conviction than it has for years, certainly since Liverpool faltered at the finish under Brendan Rodgers in 2014.
This felt like realisation setting in.
