Jurgen Klopp delivers brutally honest verdict on Liverpool's top four hopes

Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool have 'nothing to do' with the Premier League top four as things stand despite the Reds' 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest at Anfield. With seven games left to play, Liverpool are seventh in the table, six points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United, although the Magpies have played one game fewer. 

Speaking to BBC, as cited by Anfield Watch's Twitter account, Klopp feels Liverpool just have to focus on themselves and take it one game at a time as the 2022-23 campaign draws to a dramatic climax.

“Honestly top four at the moment, we have nothing to do with it we will see about that in a few weeks. The rest we have no influence. We take it game by game and we have West Ham next which is really tough and then we go from there but it will be tough again, but I am happy we got all three points again.”

Klopp also admitted that Liverpool were a bit taken aback by Nottingham Forest's long throws, with Moussa Niakhate proving to be a thorn in the flesh for the home side.

“It was a difficult game against a low block, super difficult first half, we didn't create a lot, but didn't give a lot away, which is important.

“I liked that we stayed in the game and all this chaos around the throw-ins which you have to try to avoid. Too many situations, we couldn't clear properly but apart from that I am really pleased with a lot of things.

“We gave away two goals too easy and in a game like this you have to control possession. You don't have to force it and sometimes we forced it."

ANFIELD WATCH VERDICT

As the boss rightly said, Liverpool need a few favors from other teams even if they manage to win each of their seven Premier League games between now and the end of the season. However, the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur face a harder run of games in the coming weeks, so Liverpool are still in with a chance of securing UEFA Champions League football next season.

Klopp and co defied the odds at the business end of the 2020-21 season to secure a top-four finish, but can they do so once again? Only time will tell.