Having already been vice-captain prior to Henderson’s exit in 2023, Van Dijk had worn the armband plenty of times even before becoming the official club captain, and it was fitting that he scored the winner against West Ham as it came in his 100th match as skipper of Liverpool in the Premier League.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has ended any uncertainty about his future by signing a new two-year contract that commits him to Anfield until the summer of 2027. The 33-year-old Netherlands international’s previous terms were scheduled to expire once this season concludes and for many months it was unclear if an agreement would be found.

Less than a week after Mohamed Salah signed a new Liverpool deal, Virgil van Dijk has followed suit by putting pen to paper.