Liverpool's Champions League hopes appear to be in tatters after a crushing 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, with former Reds defender Jamie Carragher predicting that Arne Slot's side will struggle to finish in the top five.
The loss has left Liverpool four points off fifth-placed Chelsea and had City's disallowed third goal stood, they would have fallen to seventh in the league table. A further defeat at Sunderland on Wednesday could see them slip as low as ninth.
Carragher believes that Liverpool would need a "huge upturn in form" to mount a serious challenge for the top five places, adding that the teams above them are in "great form". The pundit also highlighted that Liverpool's squad balance is an issue, with mistakes from their top players contributing to their struggles.
Meanwhile, Carragher's fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville remains hopeful that Liverpool can still achieve Champions League qualification. He believes that the team needs to show mental resilience and composure if they are to bounce back from this defeat.
However, Neville acknowledges that there are concerns about Liverpool's ability to hold it together, particularly in light of their recent goal conceded late on against Manchester City. A visit to Sunderland next week promises to be a tough test for the Reds, but Neville believes that they need to respond emphatically if they are to convince everyone that they are still in contention.
The struggles of Arne Slot's Liverpool side seem to be mounting by the day, with the team now facing an uphill battle to secure Champions League qualification.
The loss has left Liverpool four points off fifth-placed Chelsea and had City's disallowed third goal stood, they would have fallen to seventh in the league table. A further defeat at Sunderland on Wednesday could see them slip as low as ninth.
Carragher believes that Liverpool would need a "huge upturn in form" to mount a serious challenge for the top five places, adding that the teams above them are in "great form". The pundit also highlighted that Liverpool's squad balance is an issue, with mistakes from their top players contributing to their struggles.
Meanwhile, Carragher's fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville remains hopeful that Liverpool can still achieve Champions League qualification. He believes that the team needs to show mental resilience and composure if they are to bounce back from this defeat.
However, Neville acknowledges that there are concerns about Liverpool's ability to hold it together, particularly in light of their recent goal conceded late on against Manchester City. A visit to Sunderland next week promises to be a tough test for the Reds, but Neville believes that they need to respond emphatically if they are to convince everyone that they are still in contention.
The struggles of Arne Slot's Liverpool side seem to be mounting by the day, with the team now facing an uphill battle to secure Champions League qualification.
u gotta feel for em, been through so much as a team & still they give it their all 
but yeah, carragher's right about them needing a huge upturn in form to even think about getting top 5 spots 
they got some big games coming up & if they dont sort out their squad balance & composure mistakes ASAP, they might struggle to make playoffs 
I'm seeing a lot of red cards for Liverpool right now... 
Just kidding! But seriously, 4th place Chelsea are in the top 5 without even trying, and we all know how Manchester City is playing. 
Liverpool need a huge turnaround in form ASAP or they'll be relegated to Europe's lower divisions 
Carragher's right about squad balance, tho - their top players are having major mistakes. I'm loving the optimism from Gary Neville tho! 
Mental resilience is key, but can they hold it together? 
Sunderland next week will be a big test... 
his squad balance is all over the shop too, its like he's tryin to play every player everywhere 
Sunderland next week is gonna be a tough test and they gotta respond emphatically if they wanna prove they're still in contention 
️ lfc needs somethin major to turn their season around 
Liverpool is in a mess, looks like their season is already over 
. I mean, four points off 5th place? That's not even close 
. The squad balance is all wrong and mistakes from top players are costing them matches 
. It's gonna be a tough test at Sunderland next week, they might even drop to 9th 
... gotta feel for the fans, been through some tough times before, but this one seems different 
. carragher's spot on about needing a huge upturn in form, city's been playing some solid football lately 
. I'm getting really worried about our squad balance too... how can we expect to compete with the likes of City if our top players are having meltdowns? 
A defeat at Sunderland next week could really seal our fate... I just hope we can respond positively and show everyone that we're still in the mix 
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️. Carragher's right, they'd need a massive turnaround in form just to reach the top five. And honestly, I don't think it's gonna happen 
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, seems like Liverpool just got knocked out of the Champions League running for real. Four points off 5th place is a huge gap and it's going to be tough to bridge that if they don't get some results ASAP. They need to figure out their squad balance and stop making mistakes from top players, because right now they're looking like a team in disarray 
. They need a major overhaul, stat 
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seriously though, what happened to Liverpool? They were like one of the top teams last season and now it looks like they're in freefall! 
. And yeah, their defending has been shoddy at times, which is a major concern. But I still believe in them, they just need to show some mental toughness and get back to basics.
. Let's see what happens next... fingers crossed for the Reds! 
. A mental resilience boost would go a long way for this team. They need to show they can stay calm under pressure and not let one bad result define them. That game against Sunderland is gonna be lit, so fingers crossed they come out on top! 
... carragher's right though, their squad balance is whack and they're relying too much on salah and mane to carry the team 
...
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