Why Liverpool missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification would be 'damaging' and a 'disaster'
Published 04/03/2026 at 20:50 GMT
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A 2-1 loss away to Wolves in the Premier League on Tuesday night left Liverpool in a precarious position in their bid to secure UEFA Champions League football for next season. And TNT Sports expert Owen Hargreaves suggested missing out on a place among Europe's elite would be a "disaster" for the club, a year on from their celebrations after winning the Premier League title.
After money Liverpool have spent, missing out on UCL would be disaster - Hargreaves
Video credit: TNT Sports
Finishing outside of the top five in the Premier League and not qualifying for the UEFA Champions League would be "an absolute disaster" for Liverpool, according to TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves.
The Reds fell to a late defeat away to bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night after Andre's deflected shot beat Alisson in injury-time.
It was a setback for Liverpool in the battle to finish in the top five, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa all in action on Wednesday night.
And Hargreaves highlighted the importance of qualifying for Europe's most prestigious competition.
"If they don't finish in the Champions League places after the money they've spent, that would be an absolute disaster for the football club. That would be damaging," he said.
"They had a bit of momentum in the last few weeks where they found a rhythm. They're still in the Champions League.
"But with the players they have - Alisson, [Virgil] Van Dijk, Mo Salah - you think they'd be able to find something."
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Highlights: Wolves stun champions Liverpool in dramatic finale at Molineux
Video credit: TNT Sports
Asked if Liverpool head coach Arne Slot needs to secure a top-five finish, ex-Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given said: "Very much so.
"No-one at Liverpool when they spent so much money last summer had any thoughts of finishing outside the Champions League spaces. That's very much a must for Liverpool and the powers that be at that football club.
"It's crazy how it's gone from champions of the Premier League to fifth, fighting for top five. There's so much that's happened at that football club.
"Players have left, [Luis] Diaz and a few others. [Alexander] Isak from Newcastle obviously hasn't performed, with injuries and form. [Hugo] Ekitike I do like a lot.
"There's enough players on that pitch last night for a better performance. If you want to challenge for the Champions League the levels have to go up.
"You could see Arne Slot wasn't very happy, and even Van Dijk said after the game that it's not good enough. They have to improve and improve quick."
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk did not mince his words in the aftermath of his side's ninth league defeat of the season.
"I think it's down to ourselves. It was slow, we were predictable, sloppy in possession and wrong decision-making," he told TNT Sports.
"We didn't concede chances but if you perform like that then a result like this can be a result of that and that's a fact. It was disappointing."
Liverpool return to Molineux to face Wolves again in the Emirates FA Cup fifth round on Friday evening. Attention then turns to the Champions League, with Slot's side travelling to Istanbul to face Galatasaray in the first leg of their last 16 tie on March 10. Both games are live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Stream the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Men's and Women's FA Cup and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
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