"Not playing well enough" - Jamie Carragher delivers grim verdict on Liverpool's top four hopes

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool will finish outside the Premier League top four this season as they continue to falter after a slow start. Jurgen Klopp's side are currently ninth in the table, ten points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and are running out of time to secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season. 

Speaking on Sky's Monday Night Football, as cited by Anfield Watch's Twitter account, Carragher said Liverpool aren't playing well enough at the moment and tipped them to finish outside the top four.

"I don't think Liverpool will get top four. Liverpool are not playing well enough. They do have attacking players to come back [from injury], but Liverpool won't get top four."

Liverpool aren't in a good position at the moment, but Trent Alexander-Arnold believes the Reds can get their season back on track if they do the basics right. Speaking to Liverpool Echo, as cited by Anfield Watch's Twitter account, Alexander-Arnold explained why Klopp's side shouldn't be written off this season.

"When you are at a big club like Liverpool, people are going to really say it's a bad season and this and that.

"But we know we're surrounded by top-quality teams and the league is getting better and better every year. So it's a lot harder than it was, even just a few years ago. People expect us to be immaculate every season and we're not allowed to have off-seasons.

"And there's a level of consistency that is demanded. But we demand that from ourselves too. Of course, it's a season that we've not been overly happy with so far but there's still a long time left. I wouldn't write us off by any means.

"There will come a time when things click into place and we will be back to where we are. I think we have to go back to basics and find where the problems are and try and use them to our advantage.

"So we can get back to what we know is Liverpool and play like a Liverpool team. That's the important part for us."

ANFIELD WATCH VERDICT

Liverpool have been ravaged by injuries this season, with Virgil van Dijk, Roberto Firmino, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Arthur Melo currently on the sidelines. With Arsenal and Manchester City competing for the Premier League title and the likes of Newcastle United and Manchester United looking well-positioned to secure a place in the top four, Liverpool need to string together a run of wins in the coming weeks to save their season.

Jamie Carragher's claims may sound a bit discouraging, but as things stand, Liverpool's prospects of finishing in the top four at the end of the season don't look very promising.