The Kopite View

Liverpool’s disappointing 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace at the weekend was a major blow to their hopes of finishing the season in the Premier League’s top four.

Former Reds striker Christian Benteke scored both goals that earned the visitors the three points after Philippe Coutinho’s spectacular free-kick had opened the scoring for Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Liverpool still have four fixtures left to play but the defeat gave encouragement to top four rivals Manchester United and Arsenal, both can now overtake the Reds if they win their games in hand.

With injuries piling up and confidence taking a knock after last weekend’s defeat, it is paramount that Liverpool finish the season in the top four to mark a significant improvement under Klopp, and put Liverpool back in the Champions League where they need to be.

Champions League qualification would help Liverpool attract players to come to Anfield, and also give the club more money to invest in players.

If Liverpool miss out on the top four, then they will have to negotiate playing in the Europa League, and that competition is really a millstone round a team’s neck with Thursday and Sunday fixtures and the amount of extra games providing a serious problem for mounting a challenge in the Premier League.

Liverpool’s disappointing league position last season was partly down to their adventures in the Europa League.

Losing the Europa League final to Seville that would’ve meant qualification into this season’s Champions League was a major disappointment, and Liverpool can’t afford to let this season’s tremendous opportunity slip away again.

Liverpool’s mounting injury list a real concern, and many people expected Klopp to add a few players in the January transfer window to strengthen the squad for the final few months of the season, and now with players like Sturridge, Lallana, Mane and Henderson all injured, the squad is really stretched.

Hopefully the lack of transfer activity in January’s transfer window doesn’t prove costly and Liverpool can somehow stumble over the finish line in the race for a top four spot.

Liverpool have six games left to play this season and they are all very important if they are to achieve their goal of finishing in the top four.

It is vital for the Reds to get back into Europe’s elite competition and with six games to play, they are all basically all cup finals with little room for error with Manchester United only six points behind them, with two games in hand.

Arsenal are nine points behind with two games in hand and also remain a threat. The advantage for Liverpool is that although they have played more games than the rest, they have the points in the bag with their rivals playing catch up, they also still have to play Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United before the end of the season.

United have a tough fixture at home to Chelsea this Sunday before facing local rivals Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal before the end of the season.

Liverpool have arguably the easier fixtures remaining until the end of the season with no games against any of the Premier League’s top six sides left to play, but they still have to play a few teams that have caused the Reds problems in recent times.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are away to West Brom this weekend and they haven’t won at the Hawthorns since the 2011-12 season and Sunday will be a very difficult test for Liverpool against a physical team that will pressure their defence at every opportunity with high balls into the box.

Crystal Palace at home are next, and they are another team that has caused problems in recent years, and their form has improved since Sam Allardyce took over as manager and they will provide another tough test for the Reds.

Watford away follows the Palace game and fresh in the memory is Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat from last season and Klopp’s men will know they are in for a tough game at Vicarage Road.

Liverpool’s second last game of the season is away to West Ham, the Hammers did the league double over the Anfield side last season, and although they have not had as good a season as last, they will hope to continue their recent good record against the Reds.

Middlesbrough should know their fate by the time they come to Anfield on the last game of the season, and hopefully Liverpool will know they are guaranteed a top four spot before this game.

It is going to be a very nervy end to the season for Liverpool and their supporters with so many fixtures to play against teams that have caused them problems, but fingers crossed they achieve their goal and are back playing in the Champions League next season.