LONDON -- Liverpool need no reminders of the class of Mohamed Salah, but when the forward produced a blood-twisting shimmy while registering an assist for Cody Gakpo's goal in their 5-0 win at West Ham United, the 32-year-old gave his employers a nudge that basically said, "Can you really do without me?"

And just for good measure, Trent Alexander-Arnold did the same when he scored with a deflected shot from 25 yards on 55 minutes to put Arne Slot's side four goals clear of the Hammers and erase any doubt that the Premier League leaders would end 2024 with an eight-point edge at the top of the table.

This was the easiest of wins for Liverpool against a lacklustre West Ham side -- a win that extended their unbeaten run to 23 games in all competitions -- but it was also a day when Salah, Alexander-Arnold and the majestic Virgil van Dijk underlined just how important they still are to the club.

Salah, who scored Liverpool's third of the night and created Diogo Jota's goal, and Alexander-Arnold grabbed the spotlight with their contributions to the scoreline, but Van Dijk's marshalling of the Liverpool defence was just as important, especially in the early stages when West Ham showed signs of life and threatened to score themselves.

But by the middle of this week, Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk will be free to speak to non-English clubs about a free agent move at the end of the season when their existing Anfield contracts expire. The Egyptian spoke postmatch Sunday, saying he's "far away" from being able to give good contract news, less than 72 hours before he can talk to those other clubs.

"The only thing on my mind is I want Liverpool to win the league, and I want to be part of that," Salah said.

"I will do my best for the team to win the trophy. There is a few other teams catching up with us and we need to stay focused and humble and go again.

"I am just trying to enjoy the game," he said. "At the end of the day I came here for the result, and I wanted to do something in the game, but I am almost hungry for more."

The uncertainty over Liverpool's modern-day legends has hovered over the club since the start of this season, with fans hanging on every update, however insignificant, to give an indication as to whether the three will extend their contracts. Despite the doubts over Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool have been unfazed and shown no hint of being distracted by the "will they stay/will they leave" saga.

But things could now get messy, and how Liverpool deal with the speculation in the months ahead is perhaps the one issue that could derail their title bid.

That seems an unlikely prospect right now. Slot and his players have been head-and-shoulders above the rest so far this season -- Liverpool also sit three points clear of the chasing pack in the UEFA Champions League -- and they brushed West Ham aside without needing to get out of second gear.

But off-field noise can become a distraction, especially if it coincides with a run of indifferent results. Salah has already put his future at the front and centre of the debate twice this season with strategically timed comments, while recent days have seen reports in Spain offering the strongest hints yet that Real Madrid are hot on Alexander-Arnold's tail.

Van Dijk has kept a low profile, as have Liverpool as a club, but sources have told ESPN that each negotiation is more complex than merely thrashing out a salary and contract length. With bonuses, image rights and agent fees to also discuss, contract talks can, and do, take months.

But once clubs begin to contact the players -- if they haven't already -- then minds will naturally be diverted to thoughts of life in a new city, a new country and new colours. If Real offer to make Alexander-Arnold their new right-back, will he not allow his focus to shift to thoughts of wearing the iconic all-white kit at the Bernabéu?

And if Liverpool successfully wrap a deal with one of the three, how will the other two react? Will they shrug their shoulders or demand parity with -- or more than -- their teammate?

These are all issues Liverpool will face in the weeks and months ahead and there are huge financial stakes at play with each star, in terms of the salary the team might be forced to pay or the money it must find for a replacement.

But Alexander-Arnold's goal, Van Dijk's dominance of the defence and Salah's goal and assist showed just why Liverpool need all three to stay.

Salah is arguably the best player in the world at the moment and he is top of the Premier League in goals (17) and assists (13). We have begun to take for granted just how many goals he scores and creates.

His assist for Gakpo, who doubled Liverpool's lead after Luis Díaz had scored their opener, was one of those moments that you generally associate with only a peak Lionel Messi. Having received the ball from Diaz, Salah wriggled between two defenders and changed his body shape in the same movement before teeing up Gakpo.

That move alone showed why he is unique and crucial to Liverpool. But so are Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, and while the picture is rosy as Liverpool end 2024, there might be trouble ahead in 2025 if their big three become a distraction.