Jamie Carragher’s not getting carried away.
After a tough spell earlier in the month, Liverpool have put together two important wins on the bounce.
It hasn’t been pretty, but the six points gained from two games against Leicester City and Sunderland could be significant in determining Liverpool’s final position at the end of the season.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have moved up to seventh, level on points with an out-of-form Manchester United, and five points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.
However, Carragher believes the Champions League places will be a step too far for the current Liverpool squad.
Speaking on Sky Sports following last night’s 1-0 win over Sunderland, Carragher said:
“The squad he’s [Jurgen Klopp] got is not good enough for a title challenge, and to be honest I don’t think Liverpool will make the top four.”
Carragher also said that despite Christian Benteke scoring for the second consecutive game, questions remain about his suitability to Klopp’s preferred style of play.
“When Klopp came in, Origi started his first game at Spurs and we highlighted the work he put in. That’s what Klopp wants from his players – we know that from Dortmund – and Benteke is not that type of player.
“He gives Klopp a problem in that he is the one goalscorer they have – excluding [Daniel] Sturridge, who you can’t bank on because he has been out so much.
“But Klopp said when he got the winner against Leicester that if you have a player like Benteke who scores the winning goal, as he did tonight, that’s one action in 90 minutes. What does he do in the other 89 minutes? He wants more from him, more movement, but the problem is nobody else in the squad scores goals.
“It’s Liverpool’s problem how they use him and get the best from him. With a powerful centre-forward you have to get the ball into his feet.”
