Manchester City would not have secured the Premier League this season if they were to contend with an injury situation similar to Liverpool’s, according to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. Read more Liverpool News here.
Due to knee injuries, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez were sidelined for the majority of the season, while Joel Matip was sidelined due to an ankle injury. Fabinho, who was transferred from midfield to central defense to help close the cracks, developed a hamstring injury, and Diogo Jota and Jordan Henderson were also injured for significant periods of the season.
“With the amount of losses we’ve had this year, it wasn’t the year to become champions. There’s no way,” he said.
Before Sunday’s final league game against Crystal Palace, Klopp said, “To nobody. As fine as they are, if (Manchester) City’s three center-halves aren’t available, they won’t win the league. United’s three center-halves, no.”
Liverpool, who won the Premier League last season, was in eighth place in March, with Champions League qualification looking doubtful, but Klopp’s side went on a nine-game winning streak.
Liverpool, who won the Premier League last season, was in eighth place in March with Champions League qualification looking impossible. But Klopp’s side went on a nine-match unbeaten streak to climb to fourth place.
Chelsea, Liverpool, and Leicester City are battling for the top two Champions League spots ahead of Sunday’s round of matches.
Klopp said, “We’ve struggled back a little bit. Acknowledged the challenges. And made the best of it. We’ll have made the most of it if we win on Sunday and qualify for the Champions League. That is what there is to it.”
The Merseysiders are still in the fourth position with one round remaining.
“Man City would not have become champions if they had three central defenders out.” The coach said at the press conference.
“We had a broken leg when we lost our central defenders, but we somehow managed to win games. We weren’t really convincing in our victories, but we were celebrating and scoring. Because the young lads were not able to play in the center of defense, we had to turn the midfielders into central defenders. This split our backs. All came crashing down,” he said.
