Liverpool ‘weapon’ in Champions League race is an open secret that Harry Kane just admitted

Liverpool could miss out on a Champions League place next season, but the Reds must heed the words of an Anfield ‘Boot Room’ member and secure European football one way or another.

Liverpool Football Club without European football is like a banquet without wine. Those were the words of former Liverpool manager and Anfield ‘Boot Room’ member Roy Evans.

Looking back on the next few years, the last five years under Jürgen Klopp will likely be seen alongside the glory days of the 1970s and 1980s, with the Reds enjoying success both domestically and in Europe, even going back to being world champions . in 2019. There is no doubt, however, that this season has been a bit of a disappointment for the German coach’s men, especially considering the high standards they have set themselves in recent years. That said, while no further trophies will be added to Anfield’s trophy cabinet during the remaining weeks of this season, there is still plenty to play for in the remaining six games of this Premier League season. With both Newcastle United and Manchester United ever closer to qualifying for next year’s Champions League, it’s clear that achieving a Europa League place must now be the goal.

Whether or not Champions League football is still viable for Liverpool this season, there are plenty of practical and emotional reasons why securing European football should be of paramount importance to the Reds. For starters, the Reds squad is set to play up to three times a week, with the benefits of using the Europa League group stage, for example, as a place to bleed youngsters and limit players’ playing time also to the advantage of hand retention. .

Furthermore, the financial benefits of participating in the Europa League should not be overlooked either. While the competition is not as lucrative as the Champions League, there is income to be gained by going deep into the round of 16. Furthermore, if the Reds manage to win the league next year, it would be another chance to secure a place in Europe’s top flight.

We mustn’t overlook the romantic element of being in Europe, which is so important for the fans as well. An opportunity to potentially add to the club’s illustrious European history should go unnoticed, with memorable runs in the league often providing a stepping stone to greater success further down the line, as was the case with the Reds’ UEFA Cup victories in 1976 . and 2001, as well as a run to the Europa League final in Klopp’s first season.

The good news is that things are starting to look up in terms of qualification, with an additional Europa League spot at the end of May set to come from an unlikely source. Having reached the FA Cup final against city rivals Manchester City, Manchester United will earn them a place in the Europa League next year. However, if they qualify for Europe’s elite competition, as expected, the Europa League spot will go to the side that finish sixth in the Premier League this season.

Additionally, should the above scenario materialize, the Europa Conference League place the Red Devils won by winning the Carabao Cup earlier this season would then go to the side who occupy seventh place in the Premier League. . With Liverpool seventh in the table, it’s more than likely to guarantee a European spot next season – should Newcastle United and Manchester United see the season finish in the top four. However, given the inconsistencies in Klopp’s squad this season, it is uncertain whether Liverpool will remain seventh in the table, with the upcoming game against Tottenham potentially a major hurdle for the Reds. The fact that the Merseysiders will play three of their remaining six home games of the season will in many ways be a huge asset in their quest for European football.

As Harry Kane himself said this week ahead of his team’s trip to Anfield, Liverpool’s ground is “a very difficult place”. The Spurs talisman was all too aware of what could weigh on the clash between the Premier League’s fifth and seventh-placed sides, adding: “They’re in a similar position to fight for the places we’re looking for. let’s fight, so much roll over it. It’s up to us to recover and show the character we showed in the second half and to be brave at Anfield.

Looking at the contrast between Liverpool’s home and away form, there is no doubt that Anfield seem to have a scare factor for opposing teams. Even amid this season’s troubles, the Reds would sit fourth in the table if only home results were taken into account – they would sit ninth away.

It’s clear that Anfield is a daunting place even for players of the England captain’s experience and quality, and that ‘X-Factor’ could well give the Reds a significant advantage in the race for Europe. The crowd will no doubt be with Klopp’s players in the remaining four home games of the season, and now they have to harness that energy to finish the season on a high.

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Jurgen Klopp eyeing new attack at Man Utd as he discusses Liverpool’s struggles this season

Liverpool have had a difficult season and are fighting for a place in Europe next season, but Jurgen Klopp will fondly remember some moments, including the crushing victory over Manchester United

Jurgen Klopp aimed a new dig at Manchester United by defining Liverpool’s 7-0 victory over the Red Devils as his moment of the season.

The German coach has had a difficult season in charge of the Reds, who are battling for a place in Europe next season. They have suffered a serious drop in results and find themselves seventh in the table, behind Newcastle, Man Utd, Tottenham and Aston Villa in the race for a place in European competition.

However, there were some brilliant moments for the Reds, including a 9-0 Bournemouth victory. But it was the stunning 7-0 win over United in March that stood out most in Klopp’s mind. Braces from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, along with a late goal from Roberto Firmino, secured the Reds a resounding victory at Anfield that day. And it’s something Klopp will remember fondly for years to come.

“I always thought that after my career I would have time for these things. So unless we do something very special this season, the 7-0 win over United will be remembered,” he said ahead of Tottenham’s visit on Sunday.

“I hope when people talk about it in a few years they will look back and [say] ‘this was the year we beat United 7-0’ and have something nice to say on top of that. . And after that we still qualified for anything. That would be nice, but if not, we have to accept that too.

GIVE YOUR OPINION! What should Liverpool’s starting lineup be against Tottenham Hotspur? Leave your comment below.

“We take what we have, that’s all. It’s not like we said at the start of the season that qualifying for the Europa League would be fantastic, but the season has taught us a lot. And that’s fine. If it’s the Europa League, then it’s the Europa League, fine.

“We just have to be really focused on the game that is displayed, this is Tottenham at the moment. Try winning, try playing convincingly, tries to be uncomfortable to play, all these types of things.”

The Reds are currently enjoying an unbeaten race of five games, which have also won the last three games of the Premier League. Klopp, however, does not work alone and remains aware of how his part has lost this period.

“It’s too early for me to talk about consistency. For me, three wins are not constant. That’s fine, but it could just be the start of something. It’s about consistency that you show in performance, even more than in results.” he said. .

“I know in the outside world it’s the result, but for us, obviously, it has to be the performance, because that’s what we work with. I’m happy with that at the moment because across all games, however different they were, I’ve seen a lot of things that we would like to see in games.

“And that’s very good. It’s very nice for the coach inside – that these things are still possible. We want to focus on ourselves – and that’s what we do – but we can’t ignore the quality of the opponent, so we have to be ready too because of this”.