Manchester United have offered Liverpool a new path to Champions League qualification

Manchester United’s victory over Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final gave Liverpool a boost in the fight for qualification for Europe

It’s not often that Liverpool fans find themselves rooting for Manchester United.

And really, they probably weren’t there on Sunday when Old Trafford battled their way to the FA Cup Final with a penalty shoot-out victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley.

But a loss to the Seagulls was actually good news for the Reds. Well, at least in terms of improving their European football chances next season.

There are seven seats available for English teams. Those who finish in the Premier League’s top four are guaranteed to qualify for the Champions League after United were knocked out of the Europa League by Sevilla on Thursday night, raising the possibility that Erik’s side will Hag finds himself outside the top four but wins. one of the Champions League spots as Europa League winners.

At the start of the season, the team finishing fifth in the Premier League has an available place in the Europa League, with another going to the FA Cup winners. The winner of the League Cup gets a place in the Europa Conference League.

With United and FA Cup runners-up Manchester City both set to finish in the top five, this means whichever team finishes sixth will also secure a Europa League spot with the fifth team – both straight to the group stage .

And as United have already won the League Cup, the Europa Conference League berth is now poised to be handed to the team finishing seventh, as it was last year with West Ham United, who have reached the semi-finals of the competition this season.

Liverpool, of course, still harbour hopes of an unlikely top-four finish, although it would realistically require Jurgen Klopp’s side win all their remaining seven games and either Newcastle United or Manchester United suffer a devastating loss of form, given the Reds stand nine points off the Champions League berths.

But that sixth place will most likely secure Europa League qualification has bolstered their chances of a place in Europe next season while avoiding the Europa Conference League, the qualifiers of which would face a play-off round in late August.

The Reds are currently in seventh place, one point behind Aston Villa and a further two points behind Tottenham Hotspur, but with a game in hand for both and a much better goal difference. They too are due to receive both teams at Anfield in the coming weeks.

It means whatever Brighton – who are one point behind Liverpool but have two games to play – get for the rest of the season, the Reds will be in control of their own Europa League destiny – starting with West Ham on Wednesday night.

Also.. 

Jude Bellingham: The spectacular Liverpool move is back on as the Reds’retaliate’ against Dortmund with a new plan of attack and a star issues a demand

Jude Bellingham joining Manchester City or Real Madrid this summer is no mere formality, after all, as Liverpool are still eager to bring him in after hatching a new strategy, according to a source.

Bellingham has long been on Liverpool’s radar as they look to strengthen Jurgen Klopp’s midfield. Reds scouts are extremely impressed with Bellingham’s performance at both Borussia Dortmund and in England. At just 19 he has already established himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe.

On 11 April, Liverpool’s hopes of catching the Bundesliga star were dashed. Various sources, including The Athletic, The Telegraph and The Guardian, revealed how Liverpool chose not to pursue him.

Liverpool had been put off by Dortmund’s asking price, which was said to be between £115m and £135m.

Klopp wants several new players this summer, including two or three midfielders and a centre-back. Spending over £100m on Bellingham would have prevented the manager from improving other parts of the squad, so Liverpool decided the move was not worth it.

The huge update saw City and Real lined up to sign the highly regarded teenager.

However, according to Football Transfers journalist Jacque Talbot, Liverpool are still keen to sign Bellingham on a big deal.

Writing on Twitter, the reporter sheds more light on Liverpool’s talks to sign Bellingham this summer, while also revealing how the player could move to Anfield next year.

Jude Bellingham at Liverpool is still a possibility

According to Talbot, Bellingham told Dortmund that he wanted to go to Liverpool this summer. Therefore, the Merseyside company has submitted a bid worth £85 million plus add-ons. They thought he would be accepted because Bellingham wants such a transfer and the fact that Dortmund will struggle to get that much next year when the star is in the final year of his contract.

However, Dortmund rejected this proposal. Instead, they want Bellingham to sign a new deal with them which includes an £80million release clause which will be activated next summer.

Liverpool ‘retaliated’ to Dortmund’s refusal by telling the German side they will wait for Bellingham to agree to the new deal before ousting him and landing him for £80m in the summer of 2024.

Bellingham will likely have the option of joining City or Real later this year. However, it looks like he is waiting for Liverpool. It is clear that Liverpool are not at the level of City or Real at the moment. They languish in seventh place in the Premier League and are also knocked out of the Champions League, while City and Real meet in the UCL semi-finals.

However, there are a few reasons why Bellingham might opt ​​for a transfer from Liverpool over his other potential suitors. The first is the ability to follow in the footsteps of legendary Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, one of his biggest idols.

Bellingham could also be convinced to go to Anfield by Klopp. The manager will do his best to explain how Bellingham will fit into the project and how he wants Liverpool to get back to the top of the Prem table in the next two years.

Another factor to consider is game time. Bellingham does not want his development to stall by having to sit on the bench at his next club.

At Real, there is a possibility this could happen due to the plentiful midfield options at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal.

In contrast, Bellingham would walk straight into the Liverpool side and could therefore become the spearhead for their journey back to the summit of European football.

Bellingham is facing a huge decision as he must choose between three massive clubs, but it is a position players around the world will envy.