Mohamed Salah: Liverpool star shows his value days after signing new deal

Van Dijk, who marked his 100th match as Liverpool captain in the most dramatic fashion possible, dropped a hint of his own.

“Everyone knows how much I love this club so let’s see what next week will look like,” he said.

Asked about this, Slot played a forward defensive of which England cricketing legend Sir Alastair Cook would be proud.

“I think he means, let’s see what next week brings when we play Leicester City,” he said, to chuckles from the assembled journalists.

“By far the most important thing this club is looking at is two more wins.

“We should be completely focused on that, my full focus is on Leicester and I’m sure Virgil’s is as well.”

Slot is right to make sure his team are fully focused on the present task. They were below par against West Ham, who had most of the second-half momentum and twice hit the woodwork.

But the job could be done next weekend, if Arsenal lose at Ipswich and Liverpool beat Leicester.

Should the Gunners and the Reds go perfect in their upcoming games, Liverpool would win the title in their next home league game against Spurs – at the end of the month.

Slot, for his part, is not fussy about where the trophy is secured. “If I have to win it 50km from here or wherever, I don’t care where to win it. We still have to win two more games,” he said.

But he would love to have Van Dijk’s future officially resolved before the Dutchman lifts that trophy, to go alongside the priceless signature of Salah.