BEVERLY HILLS, May 23, (THEWILL) – It took a lot of grit and determination, coupled with the return to form of some of their players and former English Premier League champions Liverpool were able to arrest an embarrassing slide down the table to climb up to reckoning with a third-placed finish that guaranteed a return to the UEFA Champions League next season.
The March 7, disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Fulham seems almost like an age ago now for the Reds. Then, they were stuck in eighth position and the prospect of not reaching the European slots stared the defending champions of the EPL in the face.
When they were knocked out of this season’s UCL, even Jurgen Klopp himself admitted that it was beyond his side to reach the European competition next season but insisted that it was going to have no telling effect in the club’s contract situations with their top-ranking players.
The Reds decidedly turned their focus on seeing out the rest of the season strongly putting that very bleak situation behind them. It was the onset of a 10-match unbeaten league run, including five victories in a row which ensured Klopp’s side finished off the season strongly and successfully, on terms of Europe.
Their flattering third-placed finish is remarkably inspirational and helped by the fact that their closest top four hopefuls, Chelsea and Leicester, fluffed their lines on the final day of the season. The return of supporters added the extra impetus Liverpool needed to see them across the line ahead of Chelsea, while Kelechi Iheanacho’s Leicester dropped to the UEFA Europa League.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
