Liverpool fans sent stern Trent Alexander-Arnold message by Virgil van Dijk | OneFootball

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says moments like Trent Alexander-Arnold's winner against Leicester City should not be taken for granted amid uncertainty over his long-term future.

Alexander-Arnold climbed off the bench to score Liverpool's winner against Leicester, meaning the Reds are just one win away from clinching the Premier League title.

Arsenal's convincing 4-0 win over Ipswich Town means Arne Slot's side can cement their place in history with victory in front of their own supporters – Tottenham Hotspur the visitors to Anfield on Sunday – which they didn't get to do five years ago when their sole Premier League crown was lifted during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite their on-field success, the headlines over the past few months have been dominated by contractual issues and the futures of Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold. After much to-ing and fro-ing, Salah and Van Dijk have signed new two-year contracts at Anfield but the same can't be said for Alexander-Arnold.

A move to Real Madrid has looked likely for a number of months, amid fierce speculation, and it's been claimed that a deal to take Alexander-Arnold is all but done. That's led to a furious backlash from some Liverpool supporters, upset with a homegrown talent potentially leaving the club for free.

But after watching him score the winner against Leicester, Van Dijk issued a strong defence of his team-mate, who celebrated his goal exuberantly in front of the vociferous away support.

"Whatever may happen in the future for him, that's something that he has to resolve with himself and the family, but he's a Liverpool player at this point and he's important for our team," Van Dijk said post-match.

Alexander-Arnold ripped his shirt off in wild celebrations / DARREN STAPLES/GettyImages

"He has been important throughout the whole season and today again he came back from the injury, a long one, and that's what I'm happy about... Since I joined the club, he has been a fantastic player and there's a lot of good things that he will always be remembered for if he decides to leave.

"Listen, at this point we don't know as a group what's going to happen. There's a lot of noise around him and obviously everyone can argue if it's his own fault, it's just part of life nowadays. When he scores a big goal like that, I think he deserves applause for stepping up in that particular moment and to soak it all in because whether he stays or leaves, these are moments which you shouldn't take for granted to give us as a team the opportunity on Sunday to finish it off.

"I think he deserved that moment and now it's back to work and be ready for the weekend."

Alexander-Arnold, understandably, didn't want to get drawn into discussing his future in his own post-match interview, but did stress "scoring goals, winning games, being close to winning titles," are "special moments that will live with me forever."

Van Dijk's comments were backed up by Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who said of his full-back: "What I can say is, it would be ridiculous if someone argues about his commitment for his club because of the work rate he put in to be back today and make such an important goal, and all the work he's done for his club in all these years that he's here.

"No one should, in my opinion, argue his commitment to this club."