With Liverpool’s hopes of finishing in the top four slim as Newcastle and Manchester United pull clear, Jurgen Klopp admitted they “will take what they get.” The Reds currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, meaning that a fifth or sixth place finish would bring them qualification for the Europa League, a competition they haven’t featured in since they reached the final in 2016. The seventh-placed team in the Premier League qualifies for the Europa Conference League.
Klopp said: “We take what we get. It’s not that we started the season and said if we can qualify for the Europa League it would be fantastic, but the season taught us a few things, and that’s absolutely fine. If it’s Europa League, it’s Europa League.” Liverpool have won the competition three times in total, all under its previous guise as the UEFA Cup, in 1973, 1976 and 2001.
Klopp insists that he is not so interested now “in what we qualify” for but, wants to “create the basis that we qualify for the best possible scenario and squeeze everything out.” He added: “I want to play the best possible football. If we get nothing for that at the end of the season, then we created that situation earlier in this year. But, in this part of the season, we have to be just really focused on the game coming up.”
Liverpool face Tottenham at the weekend and are aiming to win four consecutive league games for only the second time this season. Klopp reinforced: “Whatever happens until the end of the season, these last seven, eight, nine, 10 weeks will be very important as well for the next season.” There is still plenty to play for in the six matches remaining for Liverpool. Some squad members are playing for their place at the club while others are auditioning for new roles next season. Whatever happens, it is important that Klopp’s team end the campaign on a positive note.