Goals in either half helped Liverpool to a 2-0 win over Manchester United.

Virgil van Dijk opened the scoring when he beat fellow defender Harry Maguire to head home a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner in the 14th minute.

A cagey encounter was sealed in stoppage time as Mohamed Salah pounced onto a downfield clearance by Alisson before slotting past David de Gea.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Anfield finally lets itself believe

 

Until now, Liverpool fans have largely resisted the urge to shout about their current prospects of winning a first Premier League title in 30 years.

Chants of ‘we’re gonna win the league’ were understandably shunned after a succession of shortfalls in 2008/09, 2013/14 and, more recently, last season.

But Anfield is finally allowing itself to believe in the inevitable after Mohamed Salah’s stoppage-time strike confirmed their procession to the crown.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are reaching levels that their predecessors could not.

Since losing to Manchester City over 12 months ago, they have now taken 91 points from a potential 93 in their previous 31 games in the English top flight.

Even the most battle-hardened Kopite can embrace the fact that the Reds are now destined to be crowned champions sooner rather than later this term.

Turning back the clock in stoppage time

 

More still separates Mohamed Salah and David N’Gog than unites them.

The pair’s respective Liverpool careers have taken very different paths but with one exception after the Egyptian’s late strike against Manchester United.

Salah’s brilliant individual counter-attack to settle the game in front of The Kop carried echoes of N’Gog’s stoppage-time effort in the 2009 fixture.

On both occasions, Liverpool’s goalkeeper of the day ran the length of the pitch to be among the first to congratulate his goal-scoring teammate.

Pepe Reina’s beeline for N’Gog began before the striker had buried the ball past David de Gea. Alisson was only fractionally more measured with Salah.

Whether it was in homage to his illustrious predecessor between the sticks or just a moment of pure elation, the Brazilian provided a genuine throwback.

Reds officially back on their perch

 

Sir Alex Ferguson’s words invariably spring to mind when these sides meet.

United’s most successful manager took great delight in bragging about how he achieved a personal mission of ‘knocking Liverpool off their f***** perch’.

A penny for the Scot’s thoughts as his arch nemesis continues to clamber back on its former pedestal without even a whimper from Old Trafford.

Liverpool fans have resisted the urge to delight in their North West rivals’ misfortune, largely because their own team has been so compelling to watch.

Little changed in this clash as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were second-best throughout and not even masked by a hollow attempt at a late fightback.

The distance between Anfield and Old Trafford is measured in more than the stretch of miles down the M62 motorway. A 30-point gulf now defines it too.

Ole may be ‘at the wheel’ but Liverpool are back on their perch.

Manchester could be Coronation St

 

Ten more wins should be enough for Liverpool to clinch the title.

If they maintain this current winning run, that day is likely to come on the weekend of April 4 and the small matter of a trip to the Etihad Stadium.

Dethroning Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions with a win in their own backyard will add another level of gloss to an already remarkable campaign.

City and their supporters have long accepted that the title is out of their hands but losing it to their nearest challengers would be difficult to stomach.

In more ways than one, Manchester could soon be hosting Coronation Street.