The win keeps Liverpool in the hunt for a top-four finish, but the margin for error remains razor-thin. Manager Slot had previously stated that his side would need to be "close to perfection" to secure Champions League qualification, a sentiment fully echoed by his captain.
"If you look at the teams around us, some of them dropped points," Van Dijk explained. "I think we're going to play most of them, so definitely we need some perfection. This game was pretty close to perfection, how we defended, the intensity, but also the chances we generated. Maybe we should have scored more but it's still taking it game by game."
However, the victory came at a cost, with midfielder Wataru Endo stretchered off. "Unfortunately, we've got Wata out now," the Dutchman added. "Hopefully it's not too long but it could be. We're very thin at the moment. We need everyone available but it's a combination of being ready, physically and mentally. For example, last game losing in that manner at home (to Man City), you have to be strong to come back from that. That's why I'm proud of the guys and the shift they put in. It's an important three points."