Liverpool have officially slipped to 5th place in the global Opta Power Rankings, losing their grip on the top four after a turbulent run under Arne Slot.
The decline comes amid what has been a turbulent season for the Reds, who recently went on a run of one win in seven Premier League matches.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have climbed to 10th in the rankings. They’re still some way off Liverpool, but it’s a plus for Michael Carrick’s side, who are unbeaten in five, winning four of those matches.
Is winning the FA Cup enough to keep Arne Slot in a job beyond 2025/26? If not, why? 🤔
As expected, given they top the Champions League and Premier League tables, Arsenal sit first in Opta’s rankings right now.
Manchester City then take second place, followed by Bayern Munich and Aston Villa, the latter of whom sit third in the English top-flight.
Villa, City and Arsenal are all pretty much nailed on to secure a Champions League spot this term, while the battle for 4th/5th looks set to be between Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea.
What happens if Liverpool don’t get Champions League football
There is no league action taking place this weekend due to the FA Cup, where Liverpool face Brighton and Hove Albion.
The following weekend will see the Reds clash with Nottingham Forest, who recently parted company with Sean Dyche.
Ahead of that tie, Liverpool sit 6th in the table, three points behind the Red Devils with a four-goal worse goal difference.
Man Utd’s end-of-season fixtures are easier on paper, but with Slot’s men needing to face both of their closest Champions League rivals, their destiny should be in their own hands.
Discuss: Jones’ Liverpool career is CLEARLY coming to an end if he doesn’t start vs Brighton
Slot has expressed transfer fears amid the prospect of no top-tier European football recently, and losing out to a rival like Utd would be especially frustrating.
However, despite the manager’s concerns, Liverpool can still spend in the summer even without Champions League prize money.
As finance expert Adam Williams explained: “As an absolute minimum, they’d be looking at £60m in prize money from the Champions League. In a good year, they’re looking at £100m-plus. On top of that, maybe £20-30m in matchday income. They aren’t going to make £725m in revenue in a non-Champions League year, in my view. But then they have incoming transfer instalments, which are going to be pretty healthy too. With those factored in, they can afford to cover their expenses without taking on more debt or asking the owners for money.
“So, yes, no Champions League football is going to have an impact, but it’s not going to mean you can’t still do a decent amount of business, depending on how you structure your transfer dealings. If you get into the Europa League, you get a half-decent amount of prize money, plus matchday income, so I think they could still spend pretty significantly if they achieved that.”
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
