Jurgen Klopp has again conceded that Liverpool are unlikely to qualify for next season's Champions League, despite Manchester United losing away at Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday night.
Reds target Alexis Mac Allister scored a 99th minute penalty to earn a 1-0 victory for the Seagulls, leaving Liverpool four points off the Red Devils and the top four. However, they have played a game more than United, while Brighton can leapfrog them into fifth if they win their games in hand.
When asked about his side's European hopes at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Brentford, Klopp insisted his side are just focused on finishing the season as strongly as possible.
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"Exactly, exactly (Brighton have games in hand) so not really (it doesn't change anything)," he said. "I've said it before, other teams are in much better positions. As long as they win football games, we have no chance.
"We have to keep teams behind us, which not all of them we can do on our own. If Brighton wins all their games until the end of the season, and with how they played last night, that's possible. Again, incredible performance to be honest. Really, really good football game.
"That didn't change. We have 59? United has 63. We can get 71, maximum. For that, United needs eight points from five (games), from 15 (points). I think they will do that to be honest. They win three games from the rest and that's it for us.
"It's not about, we have enough to do with ourselves. Tomorrow, Brentford. Oh my god, such a difficult game to play... that's a really difficult game. How could I think of anything else besides that? That's why no, we will not change the approach. "
He continued: "If our results put pressure on other teams, that's not in our hands as well. I said it now, the way they played over the year, the first four teams, nobody looks like losing from now on more games than they win. Never did that during the whole season, why should they now.
"It's for us, finishing the season as high as somehow possible. That is the plan since we started winning. It was before that as well but it didn't look that bright to be honest.
"Now that could mean we could be fifth. Which is not a given yet. Sixth is not a given yet. They are all so good. Aston Villa, Tottenham of course, Brighton, definitely, and maybe Brentford as well. They all are fighting for that and so are we."
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