Shortly after Alexis Mac Allister put Liverpool into an unassailable 2-0 lead, everyone in the home section of Anfield broke into the same tune in unison. ‘We’re gonna win the league,’ they sang, which had only previously been chanted by small smatterings at home games.
One wondered at that point whether we would crane the neck towards the posh seats above the press box to discover Arne Slot twirling a scarf around above his head singing along. He lived this night as if he were a fan, after all, sitting up in the stands on game one of a two-match ban.
Well, not quite the full fan experience. His pre-match meal was probably significantly more fancy than pie and a pint and his seat at the back of the bottom tier of the Main Stand is probably the best vantage point in the house.
Slot went to bed on Tuesday night unsure whether he was going to be on the touchline or not. Liverpool were still in the dark at that point as the Football Association fumbled around when they were going to hand down his punishment for behaviour in the Merseyside Derby.
On Wednesday night, he would have rested in his bed safe in the knowledge his side are 13 points clear of Arsenal in the title race. Done and dusted, kippers and custard, as they say. He will not admit that, of course, but surely he has dreamed about getting his hands on the trophy.
Nor, of course, did he join in with chants about winning leagues or winning the championship in May, as catchy as the latter song is. Maybe he would allow himself a little toe-tapping when leaning back in his comfy chair.
Liverpool moved a staggering 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with victory against Newcastle
Reds manager Arne Slot was forced to watch from the stands as his side unpicked the visitors
The Anfield faithful were in full voice as they allowed themselves to sing about winning the title
In Slot’s absence, Johnny Heitinga led the team from the dugout. Sporting a club-branded puffer jacket and tracksuit bottoms, he stood arms crossed on the touchline and occasionally lifted hands above head to clap a bit of individual quality.
After the manager was banned officially on Wednesday morning, those with too much time on their hands pulled up some comical old posts on X from Heitinga. The former Evertonian spoke of his dislike of Liverpool, back in the day.
He is loving life now, of course – and will soon have a Premier League winners medal hanging around his neck.
Slot looked slightly agitated at one point early on and you wondered if it was for the best that he was sat up in the stands after all and banned from the touchline.
Referee Stuart Attwell, a late change from Chris Kavanagh, was letting Newcastle midfielders commit foul after foul unpunished and a potential penalty was turned down. Slot may have let his temper get the better of him all over again.
But he soon cut a relaxed figure sitting in between his assistant Sipke Hulshoff – who is also banned – and analyst Roderick van der Ham. Hulshoff was the man with the earpiece, in cahoots with the bench and fellow coach Aaron Briggs on the touchline.
From the higher vantage point, he would have been treated to a better view of just how blisteringly good his team is. He could probably see that from the dugout every other match but this was a superb display.
Their attacking play has set the standards in the division all year but this felt like a step up, Liverpool constantly turning over possession and being in a dangerous position within seconds. Luis Diaz was particularly dangerous on the left-hand side.
Former Everton star John Heitinga was Slot’s representative on the touchline after the ban
Dominik Szoboszlai (right) pulled off another command performance from midfield for the side
Callum Wilson was not able to step into injured striker Alexander Isak’s considerable shoes
Given how good they have been this term, they have not needed to rely on luck but the team news 75 minutes before kick-off gave rise to feelings that the stars are aligning. No Alexander Isak in the team, just like they played Manchester City without Erling Haaland on Sunday.
If the mighty Swede was playing, this may have been different. His replacement Callum Wilson had a few sights of goal and sent two efforts wide. Other than that, though, Alisson was barely called into action.
The other thing to note from Slot watching from the stands is that he was perhaps kept more abreast of ongoings elsewhere. As the full-time whistle blew in Nottingham and Arsenal were confirmed as dropping more points, his side had the chance to go a staggering 13 points clear.
How they took that opportunity. And finally, if he did have a cheeky glance at the league table, he would have realised that whatever happens from now, Liverpool are mathematically guaranteed to finish above Manchester United.
Head and shoulders above their most bitter of rivals, head and shoulders above just about everyone in England. Whether watching from the stands or not, Slot’s Liverpool are worthy champions-elect.
