Liverpool

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot "must be in dreamland" and now has a "wonderful platform" to build from after the Reds' Premier League title win, says former midfielder Danny Murphy.

The Reds' 5-1 win over Tottenham on Sunday saw them confirmed as the 2024-25 champions and secured Slot the league title in his first season in charge.

It is Liverpool's 20th top flight trophy - equalling the record of rivals Manchester United - and their first since 2019-20 under Jurgen Klopp.

"It's a phenomenal first season - so much to admire," Murphy told BBC Sport. "Slot has ingratiated himself with the fans quickly. They took to him – obviously easier when you're winning games of course.

"The way he conducts himself, the knowledge, the wisdom. It's things like the game at Old Trafford where he was talking about tactics and what they planned to do to win the game. There are so many little details that he has. He obviously loves the game and knows the game.

"There are so many things that they've done that's worked for them, so many things to like. That's a great platform for them to now go and build on."

Following in the footsteps of Klopp was never going to be an easy task, but Slot could not have asked for much more from his first campaign at the helm - winning the title, reaching the final of the Carabao Cup and quarter-finals of the Champions League.

"He's probably had an easier ride than he ever anticipated because he would have envisaged some hiccups, and there haven't really been many," Murphy added.

"He has given himself a wonderful platform where the fans are on board. They've loved what they've seen - they like him, they're singing his name and they're eulogising about him.

"It's all positive. He must be in dreamland, honestly.

"It's just an unbelievable start for him. Let's be perfectly honest about this, the most ardent Liverpool fans and pundits – and I'm one of them – never envisaged a league title this year after Klopp leaving, and making one signing.

"It's just incredible."

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

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• Bournemouth 1-1 Manchester United

• Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham

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Sunk in yet?

Liverpool are Premier League champions and you get to celebrate every single moment of it.

At the heart of it at Anfield on Sunday was head coach Arne Slot, who has not only made the so-called impossible task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp look so easy, but also managed to equal Manchester United's tally of 20 top-flight titles.

It is a special time to be a Red.

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Liverpool, West Ham, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea are all interested in signing Canada striker Jonathan David, 25, when his Lille contract expires in the summer - but Marseille are hoping to persuade the player to stay in France. (RMC Sport, via Get Football News France, external)

Chelsea are pushing hard to seal the signing of Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz, 19, but face competition from Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City for the Turkey international. (Caught Offside, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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We wanted to know how you are feeling - or even celebrating - after Liverpool claimed their 20th top-flight title with a triumphant win over Tottenham at Anfield.

Here are some of your replies:

Belinda: The best day, especially because we can finally properly celebrate. The flag is out, the champagne is out, the sun is still out a bit, the kids are still up to celebrate as well. Life is good as a Liverpool fan.

Adrian: Elated! Jubilant! Celebrating a title win with everyone is amazing. The lonely celebration of Covid is gone. A great team, a great season - and more to come. I'm sharing this moment with my 10-year-old son!

Emily: I'm absolutely buzzing! I jokingly said to my dad that it would end 5-1 and Mac Allister would be player of the match... I should've put a bet on!

Matt: How am I feeling? Smug. Exceedingly smug.

• Not a Liverpool fan? Find and follow your club here

Zahid: What a season. We've had our sad moments, our mad moments and our best-we've-ever-had moments. But throughout the whole time, this team never gave up. We went from doubters to conquerors. Thank you Slot and everyone at Liverpool football club

Aloukik: Arne Slot has raised every aspect of the team by 1% and overall it has made a big, big difference.

Mike: Whoever said it could be difficult for Arne Slot to fill Jurgen Klopp's shoes... look now! He has a different approach compared to Klopp - and OK it was all set up ready for him with such a great team - but he has stamped his own style on the side. Liverpool cruised like a luxury liner to the Premier League title with such ease and aplomb. Let's believe they can carry it on in the future, being not the same as but close to Bill Shankly's Liverpool of the 1970s.

Daniel: Waited my whole life to celebrate this with fellow Scousers! The Slot Machine rolls over to another year - up the Reds!

Send in your comments and photos over here

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Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live amid the celebrations: "It means everything to us. Everyone has been in the party spirit since the moment they woke up in Liverpool today.

"After the initial wobble, we recovered well and it ended up being a good afternoon.

"Arne Slot has done unbelievably - him and his staff. His backroom staff work so hard. It was just about getting into the rhythm and we have managed that. We are delighted for him and for ourselves."

On how long the celebrations will last: "On the schedule, we are meant to be in tomorrow. As the schedule stands we are - but that will be getting cancelled!"

Luke Reddy
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

The roads behind The Kop are gridlocked.

Not with cars or barriers but with people.

One gent stands on the roof of The Park pub - and when I say the roof, I don't mean a ledge or balcony, I mean the top slate, like an overjoyed ballerina.

Another is walking around with a plastic Premier League trophy and charging for photos with it. "I've got change you know," he tells one disgruntled - and lost - customer.

A reporter is trying to do a piece to camera but is repeatedly mobbed. Feels like a long shot, I must be honest.

The air is filled with smoke, fireworks are being launched with reckless abandon and it is general mayhem. You quite literally can't get away from the ground without a sizeable diversion.

A day to obliterate your senses. Sore heads aplenty tomorrow. Hopefully the rooftop reveller makes it down gracefully.

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This is what former Liverpool players and now pundits Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Redknapp had to say as they watched on from Anfield...

Sturridge, speaking to Sky Sports: "You've put blood, sweat and tears into the whole season and this is a special, special day for everyone involved at Liverpool.

"You can see the reaction from everyone in the stadium.

"I truly believe there is more that Liverpool can achieve. There's more for them, more titles. They know they can do it.

"When a manager comes in and does it in his first season, it gives you that belief that you can go on and replicate it. I'm sure there will be some recruitment and contracts that will be sewn up to keep their best players for longer periods of time.

"This is just the beginning for the manager and for these players and I'm really excited for them."

Redknapp: "If you were to describe this team with one word, it would be relentless. Arne Slot has been so cool all season.

"What a day for everyone concerned - everyone who has put so much effort into the club.

"When you say they have had no major signings, the major signing was the manager.

"I spoke to Richard Hughes [sporting director] about this and I said: 'Why Arne Slot?'

"He said 'because everything pointed towards a man that could handle that big club mentality. You have to not just manage the team but you have to manage expectations. You have to be calm about managing this club.'

"I think the way that he has done that has been absolutely phenomenal. He's a super cool guy. When [Jose] Mourinho came in, he was the special one. This guy is the cool one. He doesn't get flustered."

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"Everyone has to look at Liverpool now" after their Premier League title win, says former Chelsea and Everton winger Pat Nevin.

Speaking from Anfield on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: "Thoroughly deserved and congratulations to Liverpool and all the fans.

"It is beautiful. What a great feeling it is around this place. They're celebrating and it's just the start.

"It is a huge amount of time they have waited and waited.

"You can go to the black and white days when there was no seats in the Kop.

"Look at it now, it still feels like a real stadium. I'm looking around this stadium - can you see one empty red seat? No.

"He [Arne Slot] is dancing. He's not the best dancer I've seen. He knows it's not easy. The next one will be harder. Everyone else will improve and so will Liverpool - but everyone else has to catch them.

"They're a very good team and they could become a great team - they're on the road to that."

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Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, speaking to Sky Sports: "It is incredible to win this with our fans.

"This is 100% better than last time [in 2020], especially with the fans. We have a different group now so to show we can do it again is something special."

On Arne Slot: "He is very honest. The Dutch are quite tough but he made our lives easier. I am glad that we have won it here [at Anfield]."

On playing a different role under Slot: "You can see the numbers. Now I don't have to defend much. The tactics are quite different. I said 'as long as you rest me defensively I will provide offensively', so I am glad that I did.

"He listened a lot and you can see the numbers.

"When you play in the Premier League you have to defend but I said that I can gamble and somehow I can make a difference. My number of assists shows that, you can create chances as well."

On winning the league in front of the fans at Anfield: "Watching the Arsenal-Crystal Palace game, I didn't want to win it then. I wanted an experience we haven't had before."

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot speaking to Sky Sport: "[Conceding first] wasn't ideal but I trust my players. They always find a way to win. I don't think we could have lost today if you are in this stadium.

"Our main focus was to win this game. Everyone was saying we had already won it. But we still felt the pressure to get the point over the line.

"Almost the whole season we were on the top of the league and had a team that could win it. We know how tough the Premier League is, but we always had the belief we could win it.

"The work of Jurgen [Klopp] and Pep [Lijnders]... the culture, work-rate and quality was outstanding. We started [the season] really well and maybe it helped that Manchester City had a difficult spell that they have not had in five years.

"When the season started, we would have been happy with top four. But I don't think that is fair on the players as they are much better than that and they have shown it this season."

A couple of lucky Liverpool fans will be keeping their phones close tonight!

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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk to Sky Sports: "This is the most beautiful club in the world. We deserve this. We are going to enjoy the next couple of weeks and take it in.

"I was desperate to win it for them [the fans] and all the fans around the world, and for us as well.

"We have won two Premier League trophies in five years."

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Liverpool have won the Premier League title for the second time, after 2019-20. It is their 20th English top-flight title overall, moving them level with Manchester United for the joint-most by any side.

Reds boss Arne Slot is the fifth manager to win the Premier League in their first season after Jose Mourinho (2004-05 with Chelsea), Carlo Ancelotti (2009-10 with Chelsea), Manuel Pellegrini (2013-14 with Manchester City) and Antonio Conte (2016-17 with Chelsea).

Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk is the 12th different player to captain Liverpool to the top-flight title and the first non-British player to do so.