Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk spoke to Sky Sports after today’s win: “I think in the last few years we’ve never had an easy game against them. It’s always tough and it showed in the first half. We didn’t press well and we were sloppy in possession. It was well deserved. 1-0 at half-time.

“We had a completely different energy after the break and we got what we deserved, I think.”

On going top of the Premier League: “It’s too early to make it really important. We want to be top of the league but we want to be there after the last game in May. The results have been good so far this season but there is still a long way to go.

“It’s still a work in progress. We stay humble and keep fighting.”

On the injury to defensive partner Ibrahima Konate: “So many bodies around the ball and I think I headed it on his arm. Hopefully it’s not too bad. We’ll just have to see. You can be pretty good as a player with an arm injury so hopefully it will be fine.”