Where Liverpool’s 60 points would have seen them finish since 2015/16 as Arne Slot luck exposed
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Liverpool finished the season 22 points worse off than last year after stumbling over the line to Champions League qualification. The Reds finished the season with their lowest points tally since Jurgen Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers in 2015/16 and secured an identical 60 points.That was only good enough for an eighth-place finish 10 years ago but, remarkably, it saw Arne Slot home to land in fifth and qualify for the Champions League.
Why do you think Liverpool did not hand Mo a microphone during his Anfield farewell? Photo Credit: Getty Images/Jack Thomas Not only was this was an historically low total from a Liverpool point of view, though, it was also unbelievably paltry in wider Premier League terms.
The Reds’ total of 60 was the lowest ever needed to qualify for the Champions League, and would have seen them finish outside of the top five in each of the last 10 campaigns.Liverpool escape with low points tallyThe Premier League has been incredibly tight outside of the top two this season, with much of the division fighting for Europe into the latter parts of the season.Liverpool, of course, did not need to worry about that last year, but had they recorded 60 points in 2024/25, they would only have finished ninth, below Brighton and six points behind Newcastle in fifth.READ MORE: What’s now expected to happen with Ibrahima Konate after his last contracted Liverpool gamePhoto by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty ImagesThe Reds would have fared slightly better in 2023/24, but with their final goal difference of 10, would have jumped only one place higher into eighth.2022/23 was the last comparative season in which Liverpool dropped off, but even then they accumulated 67 points, while 60 would have seen them in eighth once again. 2021/22 would have seen them getting closer, but still outside of the top five in sixth.No hiding place for SlotIt would be unfair to suggest that Klopp’s teams never struggled like Slot’s 2025/26 side, but it is true that they never posted such a low tally across a full season of the German’s tenure.2020/21 was another incredibly difficult year for Klopp, and it is remarkable that they finished third with a total of 69, but even then, with teams bunched up below them, Liverpool would have been ninth with 60 points.SeasonLiverpool PointsPoints Needed for UCL2015/1660662016/1776762017/1875752018/1997712019/2099662020/2169672021/2292712022/2367712023/2482682024/2584662025/266060In 2019/20 they would have been a close sixth, only two points behind Leicester in fifth, but still six points shy of the Champions League, while 60 points in 2018/19 would have earned them seventh.They would have been in the same position in 2017/18, eighth in 2016/17, and, with their lower goal difference, they would even have finished below the Rodgers and Klopp hybrid of 2015/16.Clearly, the strength, or lack of it, is not Slot’s problem and he cannot control what other teams do.