Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says that the club have not thrown away a top four place after the loss against Crystal Palace.
The club came into the game on the back of a good run of form in recent weeks. However, Crystal Palace managed to secure a 2-1 win at Anfield. Even though Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring after just 24 minutes, Crystal Palace managed to pull back level in the 42nd minute through former Red Christian Benteke. The Belgian once again haunted the club with a second goal in the 74th minute, and Liverpool were unable to recover from these two setbacks.
This was the first defeat for the club since the end of February when they lost to Leicester City. They have been able to go on a run of five wins and two draws in the last seven games. Yet, this defeat is much more damaging to the club’s hopes of finishing in the top four, as it has allowed Manchester United with a real opportunity to plug the gap with their two games in hand. United are only three points behind.
Even though one of the matches is against Manchester City, United will smell blood at this stage of the campaign. Klopp, though, is hoping that the result is not too damaging for the top four ambitions.
“I know there are a lot of people around thinking, ‘Oh my God, Champions League slips through our fingers again’, but only if we let it slip.We have to try everything and we will try everything. Our job is to squeeze everything out of the season we can squeeze. Obviously it is not easy for us, that is not a surprise. There is one month to go; one wonderful football month with four games, so we will not give up, 100 per cent not,” said Klopp.