London: Jurgen Klopp is confident Liverpool will recover from a disappointing Premier League run to seal qualification for next season’s Champions League in their final game against Brighton. Defeat to Chelsea on Sunday, following damaging draws against Stoke and West Brom, has taken the race for Champions League football next season into the final week of the season. Unless Huddersfield can beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, Liverpool will go into Sunday’s home game against Brighton knowing they must at least match Chelsea’s result against Newcastle, managed by former Reds boss Rafael Benitez.
Should they fail, they would have to beat Real Madrid in this month’s Champions League final in Kiev to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition. “It’s my life, it’s our life, that we always make it a little bit more exciting,” Klopp told liverpoolfc.com.
“We had these situations a few times and it will be, for sure, exciting because Brighton is in a good moment, they played fantastic against (Manchester) United.
“But it’s all OK, as long as we have it in our own hands, life is good. We still have to take it then but we will try everything.”
After five matches, including an emotionally draining two-legged Champions League semifinal, in 16 days Klopp has a full week to prepare for the crucial fixture.
“I’m really happy that this very intense period is over now because we have one week to prepare for Brighton — that feels like a year and we will use that,” he added.
Liverpool have suffered a fresh injury blow after England defender Joe Gomez was ruled out of the Champions League final and the World Cup following ankle surgery.
A statement from the club confirmed Gomez’s season was over, saying: “The surgery means the 20-year-old will play no part in the remaining two fixtures of the 2017/18 campaign, or the World Cup finals with England. “However, Gomez will be ready for the start of Liverpool’s pre-season training schedule in July following a rehabilitation period.” Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has already been ruled out of the World Cup in Russia with a knee injury. — AFP
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