A hARd TeRM’s wORK...

IF there’s one thing I keep hearing about Liverpool, it’s how disappointing their season has been.

I’d question that – and say more frustrating than disappointing.

That sounds a bit crazy for a team who were World Champions a year ago and are now struggling for fourth, but you always need context.

And the context of what’s happened to them says this has been a hard season to take, but also one where they’ve still shown mettle.

Believe me, without all three of your senior centrehalves all season and with even the inexperienced stand-ins injured too, you need some mental strength to still have reaching the top four in their own hands.

Lots of teams have had injuries, yes. But no other teams had them to the extent Liverpool did.

Carra was saying, when we did our launch at Melwood, that people were going out of their way to excuse Manchester United the other night because they had one defender, Harry Maguire (above), injured.

Imagine where they’d be if they had all of their centrehalves injured for all of the season!

I’m not saying Liverpool will win their final three games and qualify for the Champions League next season, especially when you consider the three teams they have to play, with their direct tactics.

If they do get in the top four, then Klopp will definitely think he doesn’t have to rip everything up and start again. A couple of signings – but no complete rebuild.

He’ll believe they can come back with Virgil van Dijk fit and challenge City again. He said as much this week.

So that, ladies and gentlemen, is a frustrating season, not a disappointing one. In context, of course.