Jürgen Klopp admitted to feeling relieved after Liverpool guaranteed a Europa League place next season courtesy of a 3-0 victory at Leicester but challenged his players to keep their rivals for a top-four spot “on their toes” as they continued their late push to qualify for the Champions League.
Curtis Jones scored twice before Trent Alexander-Arnold capped a seventh straight victory with an excellent free-kick in front of the England manager, Gareth Southgate, to move within a point of both fourth-placed Manchester United and third-placed Newcastle, both of whom have a game in hand on Liverpool.
A sixth-placed finish this season now is the worst-case scenario for Liverpool, who host Aston Villa on Saturday before a final-day trip to Southampton.
Klopp conceded he seriously doubted Liverpool’s chances of playing in Europe as recently as six weeks ago. Liverpool were 10th after a 3-0 defeat at Wolves in February but they have lost two league games since, the last at Manchester City in April.