Liverpool on the Edge of Champions League Abyss
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Liverpool won the Premier League in style last season and no one can deny they deserved their victory. The season before they went on to win the UEFA Champions League having previously reached the final of the competition under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool were expected to push on from their title success last season and there was talk among pundits of Liverpool dominating English football for many years to come.
However, a season is a long time in football and Liverpool have fallen dramatically from where they were at the end of last season.
The recent 1-1 draw at home against Newcastle United is just one of many disappointing results for Liverpool and The Reds face a huge task simply to finish in the top four, never mind dominate English football.
Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over West Ham United means Liverpool must be considered the outsiders to finish in the Champions League qualifying places this season.
Manchester United appear to have second place wrapped up and Leicester City are looking good to finish in third place.
That leaves just one Champions League spots up for grabs, with Chelsea, West Ham United, and Everton challenging Liverpool for Champions League football.
Speaking after the disappointing draw against Newcastle United, Klopp said "We have another five games and we will see. We learn or we don't play Champions League, that's it.”
Liverpool have lost six times at Anfield in the league this season and they have managed to keep only three clean sheets throughout the entire campaign.
Yes, the injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez have proved costly but both players were on the pitch when Liverpool conceded 7 goals at Aston Villa in the Premier League earlier this season.
Alisson did not play in goal but the first choice back four was intact, so missing the goalkeeper is no excuse. Liverpool also had the opportunity to add to their first team squad in the summer, including a central defender but did not act in the transfer market until after it was too late. So, in that respect, they only have themselves to blame.
Andrew Robertson spoke after the draw with Newcastle United and said, “This club is a Champions League team. We got to the quarters-finals this year - and we are still disappointed with that - and two finals in the space of four years and won the Premier League comfortably last year, so to not have Champions League football next year would deflate the whole club, of course it would.”
The problem is, at the time of writing, Liverpool are not a Champions League team. Missing out on the revenue and glamour of the Champions League is going to have an impact on recruitment in the summer, something which is going to be massive if Liverpool are to return to the top of the Premier League.
In truth, judging by performances this season, it may be the failings of the teams around them that hand Liverpool a top four place rather than their own good form.
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