#5 Liverpool’s Champions League hopes intact, Everton’s European dreams in thin air
Trending
Klopp’s record against the remaining members of the top 7 is impeccable this season and he became the first Liverpool manager to win his first 3 Merseyside derbies in the Premier League as well. Meanwhile, Everton’s wait for a derby win at Anfield continues with the last victory coming 18 years ago.
Everton started the match six points behind their Merseyside rivals and looked to close the gap given their current form. However, their dreams of playing in Europe took a massive hit not just due to the loss, but also in the manner they lost the derby. Their hopes of playing in Europe are now through a convoluted route that involves the FA Cup winner to have already qualified for either of the European competitions by virtue of their league position.
On the other hand, Liverpool’s Champions League hopes were given a major boost with the win moving them to third place temporarily. This match was Liverpool’s last against the other top 7 teams and the remaining 8 games are comparatively winnable ones. However, Liverpool have been imperious against the top teams and have struggled to beat the bottom-placed teams this season. So, it is not exactly as straightforward as it looks but Liverpool are definitely on the right track.
