Brendan Rodgers Doubts LFC's Top-Four Chances After Loss To Arsenal

The fallout from Liverpool’s loss to Arsenal on Saturday might be worse than the game itself.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said his team’s hopes for finishing in one of the top-four places in the Premier League now are in serious doubt, according to Sky Sports. The Reds’ 4-1 loss to the Gunners was their second-straight defeat to a top-four rival, and they now trail fourth-place Manchester City with only seven games remaining in the season.

“Really, up until the Manchester United game we were the form team and playing very, very well,” Rodgers said. “But we have been dealt two big blows in these last two games, we haven’t performed how we would like and that has ultimately cost us in terms of the result.

“I very much doubt we will be in the top four now come the end of the season. There’s too much ground to make up — that’s the realistic view from me.

“Now, we must really focus on the FA Cup and that has got to be very, very important for us.”

Achieving a top-four finish was Liverpool’s primary objective for 2014-15, but it now needs a dramatic turn of events in order to hit the target and qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Liverpool must improve its own form and also needs Manchester United, Arsenal or Manchester City to falter during the run-in to the end of the season. Manchester City can extend its lead over Liverpool to 10 points with a win over Crystal Palace on Monday. Manchester United and Arsenal already have an eight- and nine-point advantage over the Reds, respectively.

Rodgers said last month Liverpool would need to earn 74 points — 23 from their final 10 games — in order to finish in the top four this season. Liverpool has picked up only three of the last nine points on offer, meaning they must win six and draw one of their final seven games to reach the promised land by Rodgers’ math.