Liverpool hero John Aldridge insists playing in the Europa League next season would have a “silver lining”.
The Reds remain likely to quality for the competition, despite the stumbles of fourth place Manchester United.
Aldridge wrote for the Sunday World: “Failure to qualify for the Champions League will be a hammer blow for Liverpool. I just don’t see Newcastle and Manchester United dropping enough points to give the teams below them a chance to overhaul them now.
“The games have run out and for a variety of reasons, Klopp has seen his side not do enough over the course of this season to justify a top-four finish.
“Yet, when I look towards the prospect of Thursday-night football and seeing Liverpool back in the second-tier UEFA competition, one silver lining shines through.
“Next season’s Europa League final is in Dublin, and can you imagine the scenes if Liverpool are one of the teams in it.
“We all know the fan base Liverpool have in Ireland and if they were in a major European final at the Aviva Stadium, it would be something very special.”