Liverpool legend John Barnes claimed: The Reds must qualify for the Champions League this season and warned against prioritizing cup competitions. Ange Postecoglou played for Tottenham. While the Anfield outfit are firmly in contention for a top-four finish, they face the huge task of overhauling title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City.
The Reds went into the international break with yet another defeat following their crushing defeat at the Etihad. The setback was the fifth of the season, ending a two-game winning streak that ended with victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid.
Slott’s side will return to Anfield when domestic action resumes after the November international break to welcome Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest.
As their chances of retaining the Premier League trophy fade, speculation has emerged that their focus could shift to chasing a seventh European Cup win in the Champions League.
But Barnes, who won a league title with Liverpool during his playing days, implored the club to remain focused on the Premier League and secure a place in the top four.
The 62-year-old said it would be “a real shame” if Liverpool failed to qualify for the Champions League by the end of the season. “If you look at our progress, apart from the game against Manchester City, unfortunately we played against very good teams and they were a much better team. I don’t think we’ll go back to the days when we lost those five games,” he told Video Gamer exclusively.
“We played against a great team in Man City but we didn’t perform. If you look at the Real Madrid game and the game before that, we’re not going to play a team like them every week. So I don’t think this is a crisis.
“We are eighth but only three or four points away from the Champions League. It would be a huge shame if we don’t qualify for the Champions League this season.”
The next game is an opportunity for Liverpool to move up the table and regain confidence, with both of their next opponents languishing in the bottom half of the table.
The champions will be desperate to overcome the heatwave that saw them suffer a fourth straight league defeat following an unexpected heavy defeat in the Europa League against Galatasaray in Istanbul.
Although their title aspirations appear to be fading fast, Barnes dismissed the idea that lifting the trophy would save the campaign. He added: ‘No way (we don’t need silverware to get our season back), Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou got silverware but look what happened to him.
“What does it mean to win the FA Cup? If you get into the Champions League, then the Europa League. If you win the Europa League and finish 10th, is that a successful season?”
“No, being consistent in the league means winning most weeks and improving. We could play Barcelona in the semi-finals or the final and lose, but does that mean we’re a failure because we didn’t win the Champions League or the trophy?”
“What’s important for me is what we do in the league every week, winning more than losing. I think we will achieve that. You can’t just ignore the league and put all your eggs in one basket and just focus on the Champions League because you’re going to fail.
“We have to try to win every soccer game we play and improve in every game. Every week we have to show progress or try to win soccer games.”
