Goalkeeper Alisson scored an incredible injury-time winner as Liverpool claimed a significant victory in their quest to achieve a Premier League top-four finish by coming from behind to beat West Brom.
With three points a must and just seconds left of a game in which the visitors had been frustrated by an obstinate and disciplined Baggies, the Brazilian keeper came up for a corner.
It was surely the Reds’ final chance to snatch the win and so it proved as Alisson rose to glance Trent Alexander-Arnold’s delivery into the far corner of the net to send the away side into delirium.
In an example of extraordinary timing, it is the first occasion in which a goalkeeper has scored a competitive goal for Liverpool in their entire history, dating back to 1892.
The stunning moment takes the Reds just a point and a place behind Chelsea in fourth and three points worse off than third-placed Leicester with two games to go.
That the Blues and Foxes face each other in their next league game gives Jurgen Klopp’s side a huge opportunity to take control of their own destiny in the race for Champions League qualification when they travel to Burnley on Wednesday.
With Roberto Firmino firing against the woodwork, Sadio Mane seeing a finish ruled out for offside and others profligate in front of goal, it looked as though the Reds had blown their chance.
“I just tried to run into a good place and be there to try and help my players, to bring a defender, but no one followed me and I am lucky and blessed, sometimes things you can’t explain,” Alisson told Sky Sports.
“You can’t explain a lot of things in my life, the only reason is God and he put his hand on my head today and I’m feeling very blessed.”
He also paid an emotional tribute to his late father, who drowned, aged 57, in February.
“I’m too emotional, this last month for everything that has happened with me and my family, but football is my life, I played since I can remember with my father,” he added.
“I hope he was here to see it, I’m sure he is celebrating with God at his side.”
Reds boss Klopp said: “It’s an unbelievable header, I’ve never seen anything like that, good technique. I wasn’t sure what I was seeing.
“We are really close and know exactly what it means to him, it’s outstanding, really touching. It’s only football but it means the world to us.”
Liverpool have enjoyed some wonderful and dramatic moments during Klopp’s time as manager, from Champions League comebacks to crucial late goals en route to a first top-flight title success in 30 years.
Liverpool have now scored 38 winning goals in the 90th minute or later of a Premier League game. That’s 13 more than any other team in Premier League history.
“That game is our season in a nutshell,” added Klopp. “A lot of good stuff, we got hammered for the first mistake and then had to work like crazy.
“But nobody got over the top, we had shots and kept playing football and its really difficult against these sides, how they defend, how they set up, and in the end we needed Alisson to sort it.”
