Champions League place will be massive: Klopp
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Jurgen Klopp is relishing the fact that Liverpool have their destiny in their own hands as they seek two more wins to seal qualification to the Champions League.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
LONDON • Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes that it would be a "massive" achievement for his team if they were to finish in the top four of the Premier League, given how badly their title defence went this season.
The Reds, who stormed to the title last term, slipped to seventh at one point in the current campaign, with Klopp's team struggling with poor form and injuries and suffering a club-record six straight league defeats at Anfield.
But with six wins from their last eight league games, including a last-gasp victory at West Bromwich Albion last Sunday courtesy of a goal from goalkeeper Alisson, Liverpool have climbed to fifth on 63 points.
They are a point behind fourth-placed Chelsea and three behind Leicester City in third. The latter two teams faced each other at Stamford Bridge yesterday - the result of which was not available at press time.
"It would be massive (to finish in the top four)," said Klopp ahead of today's trip to Burnley.
"Much better than we thought a few weeks ago. We won a few games, brought ourselves to this position so we want to use it.
"I don't want to speak about (Champions League qualification). We can speak about what it means if we do it. We play Burnley next. I don't like these talks that we've made it already. It's disrespectful. Sunday (final game at home to Crystal Palace) is a final for us if we get a result on Wednesday."
Two wins would see Liverpool into the top four to qualify for Europe's elite club competition - a prospect that looked unlikely two weeks ago.
"It will be one of the biggest achievements, ever," Klopp told Sky Sports. "If you are going to write a book about a season and you want to be depressed afterwards, you would probably take this season.
"Whatever happened this year, it gave us the chance to hold our destiny in our hands with two games (to go)."
Klopp revealed on Sunday that Diogo Jota will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury, but said yesterday that the forward has a "tiny chance" of making it for the Palace game. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is available after recovering from illness.
Burnley could again be without goalkeeper Nick Pope due to a knee injury, while Dale Stephens is also a major doubt for the hosts.
Robbie Brady, Phil Bardsley and Kevin Long will miss out.
REUTERS
BURNLEY V LIVERPOOL
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, tomorrow, 3.15am
