As the Premier League season enters its final chapter, one of English football’s most storied rivalries takes on a massive technical significance this Sunday at Old Trafford.
For Liverpool, the trip to Manchester isn’t just about historic bragging rights or a chance to leapfrog the Red Devils in the standings it is a mathematical gateway to the UEFA Champions League.
Following a resilient spring surge that has seen the Reds solidify their grip on the top five, Arne Slot’s side stands on the precipice of securing elite European football for next season.
With the Premier League having a fifth Champions League spot due to UEFA’s coefficient safety net, Liverpool’s path to confirmation is visible, though not without its hurdles.
At one stage this season, it seemed like the Premier League Champions would miss out on Champions League football next season.
Pressure was building on Liverpool to deliver to ensure their place in the competition, and in recent outings, they have turned a page and put themselves in a strong position.
The Reds need five points from their final four games, though if Brighton Hove Albion and Bournemouth drop points in their weekend fixtures, a win over Manchester United would confirm their status.
More impressively, if Slot’s side come away with the three points, they will leapfrog the Red Devils into third place.
Missing out on Europe’s elite competition would have been nothing short of a catastrophe for the Merseyside outfit. Beyond the massive revenue streams at stake, a Champions League without Liverpool feels fundamentally incomplete for a club whose identity is so deeply intertwined with European glory, an absence from the world stage would be a bitter blow to its prestige and history.
Mohamed Salah’s departure means they will have to spend a chunk of change to find an adequate replacement; however, he doesn’t seem like the only player on his way out.
Alisson Becker has also been attracting attention from Juventus, Curtis Jones is watched by some of Europe’s elite, and Ibrahima Konate’s contract situation is yet to be resolved; however, a centre-half signing has already been completed, with Jeremy Jacquet linking up at the AXA training centre this summer.
For multiple different mitigating factors, this season has been far from a success, yet qualification for the Champions League is the one shining light in a campaign full of misery, which should give them the resources to renovate the team, though making the top five shouldn’t have ever been in doubt.
A following question then remains over the future of their Dutch head coach. He will be one of the first to tell you that the plans the team had last pre-season have not matched what has transpired on the pitch.
Reports believe that he has the full backing of Fenway Sports Group and other influential members of the board if they make the Champions League for next season.
While for many reasons it’s an ideal requirement to achieve, if you had told Kopites when the season had begun that they would only make their status in the Champions League with four games left, and little challenge to their title, they simply wouldn’t have believed you.
Much promise was made after they splashed £450 million, though it has not worked out how it may work on paper. As the season wraps up, there would be expectations from the supporters to at least see how the future goes for Slot, but they want a definite answer.
The 48-year-old has one year remaining on his deal, and there is no certainty at this stage over whether he will be staying or leaving this summer.
Liverpool must strive next season
Liverpool fans won’t accept just qualifying for the Champions League as their standard season from now on, and that is something FSG will know.
Last year, the transfer market was a chance to lay down a marker on European football, as this is a club that is ready to battle on all fronts, be competitive and be a nightmare for almost every team on the continent.
That has been far from the case, though one of the major factors that hasn’t been discussed is the lack of depth the team possesses, which is why they have struggled to maintain a constant push for the Champions League this year.
It looks certain that squad players will be leaving this summer, though no plans seem to be in place at this stage to properly replace them.
The figureheads at Anfield know they have standards to meet, and they can’t meet those with a small squad, making it imperative they use the money on finishing inside the top five to build a stronger squad.
A brutal year is almost over on Merseyside, but the fans will hope serious lessons have been learned so qualification for the Champions League isn’t delayed as much as it has been this time around.
