Jurgen Klopp conceded that securing a top four finish was now Liverpool’s main aim, after his side were thrashed 4-1 by Manchester City at Anfield.
The result leaves them 10 points adrift of the table-topping Cityzens, who also have a game in hand over all of their closest rivals.
After a slow start, Sunday’s game sprung early in the second half when Ilkay Gundogan – who missed a penalty before the break – smashed home a rebound from close range to put the visitors 1-0 up.
Mohamed Salah then levelled things up from the spot before Alisson gifted City two goals with a pair of shocking mistakes. Phil Foden then added some gloss to the scoreline with a fine solo strike.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the contest, Klopp insisted that he was happy with his side’s display despite the poor result.
“We played really good football. I really liked it. In the first half we played really good football,” he said. “Against City it doesn’t mean you are 2-0 or 3-0 up it only means you’re in the game. I’m not sure what the possession was but it was for sure not what it’s like usually for City.
“Start of the second half, City changed their system slightly to a 4-4-2. It’s a little adaptation in the end but in that start of the second half we didn’t give enough options to play and gave the first goal away.
“They scored that goal, we scored the equaliser, which in that moment it looked like the game could now go in our direction. We looked really good again.”
Klopp was also asked whether achieving Champions League qualification was now his team’s principal target, to which he responded: “That is of course our main target, that is clear. We will try everything.
“There is enough games to play to secure that – but we have to win games and tonight we didn’t.”
Klopp was later quizzed about Alisson’s errors, saying: “You cannot hide them. It’s two [instances] where we didn’t give him a lot of options, especially around the first one. I think the second one, yeah, he just mis-hit the ball.
“I don’t know, it’s not a real explanation for it but maybe he had cold feet or something. It sounds funny but could be. But there’s still the opportunity to kick it in the stands.
“But Ali has saved our life plenty of times, no doubt about that, and tonight he made two mistakes and that’s how it is.”