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Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah said there is “no excuse” for the club missing out on the Champions League this season after Manchester United beat Chelsea to seal a Premier League top-four finish.
The Reds will be without Champions League football for the first time since the following season of the 2016–17 campaign, with Newcastle United also beating out Jurgen Klopp’s side for a top four spot – joined by champions Manchester City and runners-up Arsenal.
Salah has reached the Champions League final three times since moving to Liverpool in 2017 and said the club had “failed” him by merely reaching the Europa League. Liverpool lost in the final last year and Salah said the club have “everything” to qualify again this campaign.
Misri posted a tweet shortly after United’s 4-1 win over Chelsea on Thursday, a result which confirmed Liverpool’s fifth-place finish this season, writing: “I am completely devastated .
“There is absolutely no excuse for this. We had everything to go to the Champions League next year and we failed.
“We are Liverpool and to qualify for the competition is the minimum.
“I’m sorry but it’s too early for an uplifting or optimistic post. We let you and ourselves down.
Liverpool went on a nine-game winning run to revive their hopes of Champions League qualification, but Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at Anfield saw United miss their final two fixtures against Chelsea and Fulham. Only one digit was required.
Later, Liverpool manager Klopp admitted that his team is not good enough to qualify for the Champions League this season.
“I think the whole season is more a season where we qualify for the Europa League than the Champions League,” he said.
“We weren’t good enough or ourselves for too long.”
