Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said the Reds cannot qualify for the Champions League if they play as inconsistently as they do at the moment, following their surprise loss to Leeds United.
The Merseyside team hosted Leeds United at Anfield in their last game in the English Premier League and fell to defeat. Leeds United secured a 2-1 victory as the Reds dropped a further three important points in the race for the top four.
Speaking after the match, Klopp was asked about Liverpool’s top four prospects. Klopp said that he is aware of the distance that separates them from the top four, but insisted that it is not his main concern.
He also confessed that Liverpool will not be able to qualify for the Champions League next season if they continue to be as inconsistent as they are now.
Jurgen Klopp claims the Champions League for Liverpool after the defeat of Leeds United
Klopp admitted that Liverpool could still finish in the top four, but stressed that they have to win games, which they have not done often enough so far this season.
“But we can’t qualify for the Champions League if you play as inconsistently as we do at the moment. We have to fix that and then we’ll see where we end up,” Klopp said. [via GOAL].
“We know that everything is possible, or many things are possible. But for that, we have to win football games and we haven’t done that often enough yet.”
Meanwhile, against Leeds United, Liverpool found themselves trailing by a goal four minutes into the game. Leeds United scored their first goal thanks to a defensive error by Liverpool.
Joe Gomez set up a sloppy pass to Alisson Becker, and Rodrigo Moreno took advantage of it after the Liverpool goalkeeper lost his balance. Rodrigo duly put the ball into an empty net to give Leeds United the lead.
Liverpool, however, restored parity just 10 minutes later. Mohamed Salah volleyed off a cross from Andy Robertson to make it 1-1.
However, Leeds United secured victory in the death, with Crysencio Summerville sinking a low shot past Alisson and into the Liverpool net in the 89th minute.
Meanwhile, the defeat leaves Liverpool eighth in the Premier League points table. The Reds have 16 points from 12 league games so far this season. Liverpool is 13 points behind leaders and defending champions Man City, who have 29 points from 12 games.
