And so, Liverpool passed the 90 points tally for the first time in their Premier League history. The Reds will walk on, with hope in their hearts but could still end the season second despite potentially recording the league's third-best ever set of points (97). Fittingly the only team who could surpass this astonishing total are the brilliant Manchester City, who sit two points behind the Reds but with a game in hand. The fate of the title still remains in City's destiny.
However, Liverpool won't be thinking too much about the Citizens tonight following another magnificent performance in the penultimate Anfield match of the league season. The Reds forced a brave Huddersfield Town to summit at their own will. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both grabbed braces with the latter almost snatching a hat-trick after hitting the post late on.
The forward duo now have a combined 41 league goals to their name - more than any other attacking double act in the league this season. Salah was devastating yet again whilst Jordan Henderson also impressed in the middle of the park. Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold yet again excelled as make-shift auxiliary wingers and added more sparks to their personal rivalry of assists: Robertson now has 13 assists to Alexander-Arnold's 11. An incredible achievement that also saw the rampant hosts close the gap between themselves and Manchester City's goal difference with Liverpool's now plus 64 to City's plus 67.
The outcome seemed inevitable almost instantly after Naby Keita got off the races inside 15 seconds. Liverpool were still absorbing the setback of a muscular problem for Roberto Firmino before they could even comprehend their team were a goal to the good. It was a typical type of mistake from Huddersfield and one that has cost them so dearly this season. Admirably yet also naively they were trying to build from the back, the goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, sprung a pass towards Jon Gorenc Stankovic. The Slovenian was operating as a holding midfielder and was far too unaware of his surroundings allowing Naby Keita to pounce, instantly transferring play to Salah who returned the favour with a threaded through pass that Keita finished coolly in off the left post.
Attention soon averted to goal difference with the hosts sniffing blood before proceedings had barely begun. Despite the midweek setback of City comfortably winning the Manchester derby at Old Trafford making the champions even stronger favourites for the title despite a tricky trip to Burnley lying in Pep Guardiola's wake.
City, are operating almost like a steam train blowing away whatever falls in their path. They have built a formidable momentum and will take some stopping. All Liverpool can do is focus on themselves and leave their rivals requiring perfection to retain their crown.
The story of the match
Henderson looked possessed on driving forward the midfield alongside Virgil van Dijk who consistently commanded a calming presence throughout the team. The Reds started slowly despite their goal but their play began to quicken following a quick cross-field move, culminating in an exquisite flick from Salah that drew applause from his club manager, who stood in the technical area, clapping.
It was easy to see why this was a match the German boss could finally enjoy following a gruelling title chase. There was so much to admire and the floodlights seemed to be opening up just 22 minutes into the game. Van Dijk egnited the attacking charging into midfield, playing a cross field pass into Robertson. The Scottish captain sweetly delivered a succulent cross that dropped between Jonathan Hogg and Terence Kongolo for Mane to cooly head past Lossl. It's now ten in his last nine for the Senegalese ace at Anfield. A fine way to round off a week that saw the forward earn a place in the PFA team of the Year for the second time in a Liverpool shirt.
Robertson and Alexander-Arnold were also in the player's all-star XI, and they certainly merited their inclusion with such an attacking performance that personified Liverpool's attacking threat in almost every position. Alexander-Arnold started off with a battle down his right flank but stood up the challenge expertly. The Englishman then orchestrated the third goal following a sublime pass inside the right-channel that caught out Erik Drum allowing Salah to dart into space and deftly lift the ball over a helpless Lossl for his 68th goal in 100 matches in Liverpool colours.
Second-half continued with usual practice for Liverpool. the only scare was the nervy scenes that followed after Steve Mounie landed on Van Dijk's left foot with home support bemused with concern. Anfield fell silent when the Dutchman hobbled down to grasp his leg with everyone in attendance certainly having one eye fixated on their Champions League semi-final in Barcelona on Wednesday. However, Van Dijk eventually rose from his haunches and carried on to an outpour of applause and an almighty sigh of relief.
The Reds continued to hunt more goals leaving Huddersfield with acres of space to clean up. The visitors came close on one occasion when Mounie was allowed to run through only for Keita to track back and superbly intervene.
It proved a vital piece of defending from Keita who looks so assured in recent weeks and is proving to hit his form at the pivotal period of the season. Minutes later, Mane was soon back on the attack heading his second of the game six minutes after the hour mark. A delightful whipped ball from Henderson curled towards the back post where Mane was pouncing to head across goal for his 20th Premier League goal of the campaign.
Celebrations poured from player to fan following yet another set of goals from Mane. However, there was even more joy on Merseyside when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took to the field for the first time in over a year following a ligament injury that saw the midfielder miss last season's Champions League Final, England's World Cup adventure and the majority of Liverpool's thrilling title chase.
Months of rehab and gym work were quickly forgotten when the refereeing official held up his 21 shirt number and Anfield engulfed into cheers. Cheers almost turned into raptures when the returning fan favourite was through on goal only to be denied by the feet of Lossl.
Xherdan Shaqiri also arrived, replacing Georginho Wijnaldum, and he quickly put one on a plate for Mane that would have made for a hat-trick of headers only for the forward to smash against the post.
Liverpool - despite a second successive Champions League semi-final in midweek - remained all-guns-blazing with every outfield player pouring forward.
Robertson and Alexander-Arnold continued to torment on the flanks whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain was driving down the middle. Salah got his second to make it five after getting on the end of another Robertson assist to turn in from close range.
Joe Gomez got some more vital minutes in the tank late on replacing his compatriot Alexander-Arnold adding to the joy of the home support.
The final whistle was met with applause rather than the familiar bedlam that followed in the after events of the vital wins against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. This was a matured performance, one that followed with Klopp and his players marching to the Kop to soak up the admiration of the fans whilst simultaneously saluting the loyalists for their support. Klopp couldn't help himself from doing his ritual punching of the air as Anfield screamed their love back. Liverpool's job is done all they can do now is put their feet up on Sunday and hope that Burnley can inspire a repeat of the result that held City at Turf Moor last season. An immense challenge, but not an impossible one.