Liverpool Champions League boost confirmed by Arsenal with Arne Slot target clear
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCLiverpool needs to qualify for the Champions League ahead of next season with Arne Slot's side likely to finish fifth or sixth in the Premier League standings after a poor campaignLiverpool head coach Arne Slot during a Champions League press conference.(Image: Mustafa Yalçın/Anadolu via Getty Images)Liverpool's prospects of qualifying for the Champions League next season have received a significant lift following Arsenal's victory over Sporting CP.The Gunners claimed a 1-0 triumph at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday evening. Martin Zubimendi believed he had broken the deadlock for Mikel Arteta's team, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review.However, in the opening minute of added time, Kai Havertz struck to spark scenes of celebration among the traveling Arsenal faithful.
He finished well after good work from Gabriel Martinelli on the left.READ MORE: Florian Wirtz disagrees with Van Dijk and explains why Liverpool players believe in Arne SlotREAD MORE: Alan Shearer says what every Liverpool fan is thinking about Mohamed Salah - 'Not nice'As a consequence of the Gunners' success, England has now guaranteed a top-two placing in the UEFA season coefficient rankings, which confirms that a fifth Champions League qualifying berth for the Premier League has been obtained.Liverpool stands to benefit most immediately from this coefficient gain, as it presently sit in fifth position and would move into an assured Champions League slot rather than having to settle for the Europa League.Meanwhile, other sides including Everton are not far behind. The Blues are occupying eighth spot in the standings, with the two teams scheduled to meet at Hill Dickinson Stadium a week on Sunday.Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)Securing Champions League qualification remains vital to Liverpool every campaign, and Slot acknowledged in February: "If we don't have Champions League football, it has definitely not been an acceptable season."He added: "It's important to know what is 'whatever else' (that has happened) because if you talk about 'whatever else' we could come up with six or seven things.
But the maximum we can achieve right now is qualifying for the Champions League and that's always what we aim for — to achieve the maximum possible at this moment in time."It wasn't the maximum possible at the start of the season, but at this moment of time it is the maximum we can achieve."Get LFC's 2025/26 season home and away kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn moreFrom $100LFC.comSee the dealLiverpool's home and away strips for the 2025/26 season are the first in their new partnership with adidas.Fans can order jerseys in the US at Fanatics.com or via the LFC Online Store in both the US and across the world.While Blues manager Moyes was reluctant to get ahead of himself regarding the prospect of Champions League football at Hill Dickinson Stadium after his team's recent victory over Chelsea, he didn't avoid discussing what European competition would represent for the club.The Scotsman commented: "I'd love to say it was [a possibility] as I'm trying to be more positive than I would normally be, but for Everton to even be in the mix for Europe is unbelievable, whether it is Conference League or Champions League."We were sitting here last year just beginning to edge ourselves away from relegation and still had lots of money to pay off, new ownership and 10 or 12 players out of contract — so for us to be in the position we are now is just great."I can imagine, if we could possibly do it, what it would do for the crowds here as Evertonians are desperate to get back amongst it."Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCChampions LeagueArsenal FCArne Slot