‘A moment 35 years in the making, this was Anfield’s day of destiny’

The enormous red and white clock in the corner of the Kop flipped over to 18:24 BST on the day that would determine Liverpool’s fate.

Tottenham Hotspur’s minor flaw was left out. The big picture was that Liverpool had already won 20 titles, making them officially Premier League champions, which was significant.

The most successful club in England was displayed on the banners and scarves as Liverpool’s team coach emerged from the smoke-filled Anfield Road stadium as the smell of sulphur and cordite loomed high in the air.

35 years ago, this was a moment.

In front of the Kop, Liverpool could celebrate a title win with their own sizable crowd in their own stadium. When Liverpool defeated Queens Park Rangers on April 28, 1990, Sir Kenny Dalglish, who was standing in the directors’ box, led them to victory. This was the last time they saw this elation.

The celebrations took place at the genteel Formby Golf Club and the trophy lift in front of a deserted Anfield as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, but Jurgen Klopp led them to the Premier League title in 2020.

This explained the emotional release that had been occurring shortly before kick-off. fireworks exploded behind the Kop, a second fog of red smoke swept around Anfield, and there was a pouring of tears from players and supporters as they were finally unleashed in a wall of sound.

Head coach Arne Slot, the modest Dutchman who has made Jurgen Klopp’s alleged impossible task seem so simple, was at the center of it all.

Klopp sung a song in honor of his soon-to-be-anointed successor to ease the uncertainty surrounding his departure from Anfield by doing so 343 days before the final whistle ringed in 343 days.

Throughout the 5-1 victory, Slot recited the song in tribute to Klopp as he sabotaged the situation.

The manager did a great job, according to captain Virgil van Dijk, and it was a big job to replace Jurgen.

There was little calm around Anfield hours before the storm started.

From midmorning on, the entire area was a sea of red; thousands of supporters lined up in long lines to enter the stadium, the usual watering holes were full, and Anfield Road was crowded with fans as far as the eye could see.

One of John W. Henry’s rare visits to Anfield for the coronation was made while tickets were reportedly selling for £3, 000 on the black market.

The Anfield Wrap’s Neil Atkinson described his experience as “on his way to his wedding” on BBC Radio 5 Live. The excitement was compared to Christmas morning by Abigail Rudkin, who also contributed to the Anfield Wrap.

It does make a difference for everyone to be together and sit together, she said, “just to get to be with everyone.”

In reality, this victory over a submissive Spurs was just another step in the right direction, bringing home Anfield’s excitement and the glorious realization that the prize was theirs.

No better was when Mohamed Salah celebrated his goal, Liverpool’s fourth, by taking a selfie from a fan with the Kop as his backdrop once the correction had been applied to Dominic Solanke’s shock early goal.

As Liverpool’s triumphant team tore Spurs apart, fans belted out the old title-winning songbook.

Slot, who has a more measured approach to Klopp’s Liverpool without sacrificing any of the potency, was watching intently from the sidelines. He has improved his tactical acumen in addition to the outstanding squad he inherited, which is what makes him so valuable.

Slot’s focus on the unfolding events in front of him was uncharacteristically agitated at times, preferring to ignore the Kop’s ongoing demands for recognition.

He waited until the end of the fourth and final minutes before giving his family a moment to cheer on the fans in the stands. Before he gathered his trusted backroom staff around him, it was time for a celebratory embrace with his opponent, Ange Postecoglou.

Before Slot donned the red shirt and gave Liverpool’s players the Klopp-style fist pumps they had desired, the crowd flocked to the Kop as the celebrations arose on the pitch.

Each player was asked to bow before the others. Even though Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future may depend on his connections to Real Madrid, Liverpool stood at the forefront of his world on Sunday. For the moment, the future is uncertain.

The architect of this success, Slot, stated to BBC Radio 5 Live, “Looking back, I have enjoyed the entire day. You could tell from their eyes how important it was to them. We could not possibly not have won or not get that point.