Liverpool is not yet confirmed as finishing inside the Champions League places after it could only draw with Chelsea at Anfield on a frustrating outing for Arne Slot's side
17:00, 09 May 2026
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Liverpool still has some work to do to get over the line and qualify for the Champions League this season after it could only draw with Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday.
Arne Slot's side went in front early on with a great strike from Ryan Gravenberch. From there, though, it drifted along and allowed Chelsea back into the contest, with Enzo Fernandez leveling before the half-time break.
There were boos when Rio Ngumoha was withdrawn — though Slot later explained that he was taken off because he had cramp — and then more jeers at the final whistle from the fans who had decided to stick around until the end.
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Because Brighton won against Wolves and Bournemouth beat Fulham — one player from either side was sent off in the latter of those two fixtures — Liverpool still needs a maximum of three more points to confirm a top-five spot from here.
Brighton can finish on a maximum of 59 points from this point. Liverpool is already on that amount and has a superior goal difference.
Bournemouth can finish on a maximum of 61 points, while Brentford — taking on Manchester City later today — can reach 60 points with three wins to conclude the campaign.
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield
Arne Slot has vowed to win back the Liverpool fans(Image: (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images))
Liverpool travels to Aston Villa on Friday and ends the season with a home game against Brentford. It should have enough to get over the line from here.
In the event that Aston Villa comes fifth and wins the Europa League — it is playing Freiburg in the final — sixth spot in the Premier League standings would become a Champions League place.
At the moment, that is occupied by Bournemouth, which is two points ahead of Brighton. Andoni Iraola, the Cherries boss, is leaving the club in the summer regardless.
"What the fans want to see, what I want to see, what everyone wants to see, is a team that creates chances from ball possession," Slot said in his post-match press conference at Anfield.
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"And that's not what we are doing enough. If you simply look at the difference between the goals scored last season and this season, it's an enormous gap.
"The goals conceded is not so much different between this and last season, but the goals scored is the biggest difference between this and last season.
"I think if the same fans see a similar type of game but then it leads to more chances, they would be much more happy with what they are seeing.
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"First of all, because they see more chances. Usually when you get more chances you score more and that leads to a win. And we all know, I know now for being so long in football, that judging a performance is mainly also done by results."