Can Liverpool get Champions League football by finishing fifth in the Premier League?

The 2022/23 Premier League season is all but done and dusted, and Liverpool’s hopes of finishing inside the top four are now over. Jurgen Klopp’s team needed Manchester United to lose both of their remaining games, but their win over Chelsea secured their spot in the Champions League.

Liverpool can now finish no higher or lower than fifth, but with Manchester City in with a chance of winning their first ever Champions League title, the question over next season’s qualification has been raised.

Many are wondering, will fifth place in the Premier League earn a spot in the Champions League? Have Liverpool done enough without breaking into the top four? Let’s take a look at how it works.

Will Liverpool get Champions League football by finishing fifth?

Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, the answer is no. This season, the ‘fifth place rule’ is not applicable, despite many queries over what will happen if Manchester City win this season’s Champions League.

In fact, it is rare a fifth team from the same country qualifies for the tournament — the only way this can happen is if a club won the Europa League or Champions League, but did not finish in the top four in their respective day-to-day league.

As winners of the 2022/23 Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s side have already qualified for the top bracket of European football, but if they also triumph over Inter Milan, their spot will not be passed down. Instead, the team who wins the highest-ranked national league in the UEFA coefficient, without automatically qualifying, will be given the slot.

Liverpool to compete in Europa League

It was not an outcome the team wanted but Liverpool will compete in the Europa League next season, which is not something to be sniffed at based on how the Reds have sometimes struggled this season. Mohamed Salah posted a tweet right after Man United beat Chelsea, stating he was ‘devastated’ with the outcome and apologised to the fans for ‘letting them down.’

“There’s absolutely no excuse for this. We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed. We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum,” the Egyptian wrote.

The Premier League top six are now locked in and all that’s left to do is see out the season and enjoy what promises to be a very exciting transfer window. Liverpool are on the market for new midfield options and some other new players as they hope to bring in three new signings by the end of June.