It was an arrow into the top corner of Chelsea’s goal and potentially the hearts of Manchester City from Mohamed Salah. The great players rise with pressure and the striker chose his moment and his spot to perfection to drive Liverpool over the most daunting hurdle remaining in their pursuit of the title.

“We can finally close the slipping book,” Jürgen Klopp reflected. A greater sense of closure is tantalisingly within reach should City falter now.

Parallels with the Chelsea visit that derailed Liverpool’s title pursuit in 2014 ran only as far as the scoreline and a slip in possession from Andy Robertson that was frankly irrelevant. Otherwise this was a match that reinforced the strength of Liverpool’s resolve in the face of City pressure and the class they possess to turn the most tense affairs in their favour.

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Sadio Mané set Klopp’s team on course for a seventh successive victory in all competitions with his 13th goal in 16 games. Seconds later, 142 seconds to be precise, Salah produced a moment that will live long in Anfield’s collective consciousness. His 19th league goal of the season will take permanent residence there should it prove a defining moment for Liverpool’s hopes of a 19th league crown.

For Maurizio Sarri it was a fourth defeat in four visits to members of the so-called Big Six this season. Chelsea had opportunity to change the complexion of the afternoon through Eden Hazard but their man of the moment failed to match Salah’s contribution to an absorbing afternoon. Their failure to withstand Liverpool’s breathless start to the second half was crucial.

It did not take long for Chelsea fans to revisit recent history in an attempt to stir anxiety among the home crowd. Eight minutes before kick-off, in fact, was when the first rendition of the Steven Gerrard/Demba Ba song aired. Only two players remained from that infamous game in April 2014, however, César Azpilicueta and Salah, and the latter was wearing blue that day.

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The most important sound from the crowd before the game was of course silence for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster on the eve of the 30th anniversary. It was impeccably observed by all, as one mosaic reading “30 Years” filled the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand and another that simply said “96” dominated the Kop.

The following 45 minutes were tense and far removed from the monumental occasion it would become. Liverpool started on the front foot but without the aggression and composure on the ball that so often makes their control count. Sarri’s side, with Hazard operating as a false nine, worked their way into promising situations on the counterattack without troubling Alisson in the Liverpool goal. Their first-half display was encapsulated by Willian breaking from a David Luiz clearance, cutting inside Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson, then slicing well wide from 18 yards.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Virgil van Dijk shouts at his teammates after Chelsea’s Eden Hazard misses a chance. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images via Reuters

Liverpool’s best chance of the first half fell to Salah in their first attack. Mané, who unnerved Azpilicueta from the opening whistle, delivered a deep cross into the six-yard box. Unmarked, Salah shinned his volley straight at Kepa Arrizabalaga. Mané turned another good opportunity wide when Salah returned the favour but overall it was a flat opening reminiscent of that game from five years ago. A jaw-dropping start to the second half by Liverpool ensured there would be no repeat.

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Until Mané struck his 18th goal of the league campaign the most significant moment was the knee injury sustained by Antonio Rüdiger when chasing a Joël Matip ball over the top towards Mané. The Chelsea central defender had started authoritatively and laboured on for another 18 minutes before collapsing again. He looked in a bad way when carried off the pitch by two members of the Chelsea medical staff.

Rüdiger’s replacement, Andreas Christensen, came on for his fifth league appearance of the season and was that rusty he spent the half-time interval warming up on the pitch. He and his team-mates were caught cold from the restart.

The game, the atmosphere and quite possibly the title race turned six minutes after the restart when Matip picked out Salah with a measured pass out of defence. Liverpool’s leading marksman played a one-two with Roberto Firmino that should have been cut out by Emerson. The Chelsea left-back was weak in the challenge, Henderson nipped in ahead of Jorginho and floated a delightful cross over from the by-line for Mané to head home.

Play Video 1:42 Jürgen Klopp: Salah strike against Chelsea 'blew me away' – video

A collective gasp was then heard around Anfield when Salah sealed a most precious victory with a shot of exquisite beauty. He was lurking in a similar position to the opening goal when he took a cross-field pass from Van Dijk with a polished first touch. This time he stepped across Emerson and, before the Chelsea defence could react, unleashed an angled drive that flew straight and true into the top corner of Arrizabalaga’s goal. It was an unforgettable moment that left Klopp looking on in joyous disbelief and over 50,000 others following suit.

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Liverpool were rampant at this stage, Firmino flashing another shot from distance just wide, yet Chelsea could have levelled with two glorious Hazard chances in as many minutes. He had only Alisson to beat when Christensen’s long ball caught out the Liverpool defence. He beat the Liverpool goalkeeper but his low shot smacked against the post. Seconds later, from Willian’s inviting delivery, his free shot was spilled by Alisson and Van Dijk hooked clear before Hazard could capitalise on the rebound.

There would be no slips from Liverpool on this occasion. They march on, applying pressure on City with every step.