Paint the town red Liverpool basks in title glory

This is important. It means a lot to be here," said Ann-Marie Barton, who remembered the mixed emotions when Liverpool last won the title: yes she had been drinking champagne but it was alone at home because of the pandemic. "It was just me and Scooby [a stuffed mascot] and he doesn't talk much."

- Mark Brown

Yesterday she was out in blazing sunshine at Anfield with good friends lapping up the atmosphere. Everyone seemed to be smiling. It was some party and was never going to be spoiled.

Tottenham Hotspur scored first but four minutes later Liverpool equalised and ultimately ran out 5-1 winners, confirming their joint-record 20th English league title - putting them level with rivals Manchester United - in head coach Arne Slot's first season.

Barton had been Liverpool since she popped out of her mother's womb, she said, and was proud of the autographs on the wheels of her chair. "You've got Klopp, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Stefan Bajcetic... I need to get Mo Salah."

Before the game, she said: "I know we will do it today which is why it's important to be here with my mates. It does mean a lot."

One of those mates was Ali Hamidi, who played a part in Liverpool's win against West Ham a fortnight ago by scooping up the ball near his seat and making a long throw to Mac Allister, who took the corner for Van Dijk's 89th minute header. It has become something of a viral hit, although you cannot see his face. "It was me definitely... you can tell from the yellow sleeves," he said.