Can Liverpool Break Into The Top Four After Emirates Stadium Trashing?
Liverpoo’sl top four ambitions have been dealt a severe blow after to back to back defeats to Arsenal and Manchester United. Liverpool now sit in 5th, seven points behind Manchester City having played a game more.
Liverpool were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Goals by Hector Bellerin, Mesut Özil, Alexis Sanchez, and Olivier Giroud sunk an abject Liverpool.
Liverpool now have it all to do and according to their manager, Brendan Rodgers, their chances for qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League may be all but over.
Rodgers stated that it would be “very, very difficult” for Liverpool to overtake their nearest rivals in the chase for qualifying for the Champions League.
Throughout the build up to the crucial clash against Arsenal at the Emirates, much of the headlines centered around the contract negotiations between Liverpool and Raheem Sterling.
The young Liverpool winger pleaded to the public that he was flattered by the interest of Arsenal however, he made the case that his refusal to sign a new contract was not down to money.
Despite that, the Liverpool manager refused to blame Sterling for the defeat against Arsenal.
“No, not really. I thought Raheem was outstanding today in fairness the kid’s done great today.”
Rodgers then went on to discuss how poor Liverpool were at the Emirates.
“It’s not distractions, we were just poor defensively. You see from our record the last six games we haven’t conceded away from home. It’s just a disappointing day when you concede bad goals, you’re always going to be up against it against a team that’s obviously got good confidence.”
If Liverpool are to harbor any hopes of finishing in the top four they will have to hope that one of their rivals go on an uncharacteristically bad run of form while winning all of their next matches.
The task has not deterred Liverpool’s captain elect, and solitary goalscorer at the Emirates, Jordan Henderson.
“We have seven games left now and we need to try to win everyone, and if we do that, then you never know. We have a big game straight away and we need to learn from this one, to move on.”
The rest of Liverpool’s season may now hinge on success in the FA Cup with an upcoming replay away to Bolton Wanderers now their only obstacle ahead of them and a semifinal clash against Aston Villa at Wembley.
Can Liverpool still qualify for the Champions League?
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
