Arne Slot has admitted that missing out on Champions League qualification would have a big impact on Liverpool’s summer transfer budget.
The Dutch head coach says his side need to be “close to perfection” for the rest of the season if they are going to retain their status among Europe’s elite and make this season “acceptable”.
Liverpool find themselves sixth in the Premier League, five points behind fourth placed Manchester United and four adrift of fifth placed Chelsea, ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland.
With fifth spot set to be good enough to secure Champions League football, Slot’s side must either climb the table or win the club’s seventh European crown to salvage a troubled campaign.
“Acceptable? Yes. If we don’t have Champions League football, it’s definitely not been an acceptable season,” Slot said.
“We need to be close to perfection because of the points we are behind. To close a gap of four or five points, you need to win a lot. Margins are indeed very small.
“With seven minutes to go on Sunday, it looked like we would only be five points behind (Manchester) City. By the end we were 11 points behind them.”
Asked what failing to qualify for the Champions League would mean for the summer given the club’s self-sustaining business model, he added: “When I arrived here and we could only sign Federico Chiesa, it was after a Europa League season.
“That does have an enormous impact on the way this club is run. That is clear. I am completely aware of that.”
Slot has a selection headache at right-back. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has filled in there for the past two matches but he serves a one-match ban following his late dismissal in the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong remain sidelined, with Joe Gomez close to a comeback following a hip problem.
“Joe hasn’t trained with us yet but I’m expecting him to train with us for the first time today,” Slot said.
“If Joe is not ready to start then we will be missing four players who have played in that position. Curtis (Jones) and Wataru (Endo) have played in that position this season too so we have had six different right full-backs.”
Slot has been reluctant to turn to specialist right-back Calvin Ramsay, who has been an unused substitute on 12 occasions since playing against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in October.
“If you don’t win a game, the players who are not playing become the best players in the squad,” he said.
“That is, I think, everywhere in the world the same. The players who are starting but not winning, the manager could have always chosen a better one. This is an example as well. I just want to protect all of my players. I have chosen other players until now and that’s also what I’m going to do tomorrow.”