Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that if not for injuries his team would have been challenging for the Premier League title with Manchester City by now.
The German suggested that the 2021 is not a “normal season” with his several key players injured for significant stretches.
Liverpool have defence trio of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all likely to miss the rest of the season.
The Reds, who claimed the Premier League title last season after 30 years, are currently in sixth place, 16 points behind City.
“It was never the case where we thought how can we overtake City. Or how can we become the finest team in English football again, whatever that means,” Klopp said.
“We just wanted to be the best version of ourselves. We have that chance again. If that is good enough, it is good enough. If another team is better, that’s how sport works.
“We cannot do more than be the best version of ourselves and that is what we will try again as a team.
“For that we need a little bit more luck, of course. Some slightly more luck with injuries and we can get closer to that.
“We all agree, and I’m sure Pep would say that, in a normal season for both teams we would not be 16 points away.
“But we are. That’s how it is. We accept it.”
The manager said that the Reds are no longer concerned about chasing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City but to find a way of finishing in a good position on the league table
Liverpool suffered another terrible defeat on Saturday losing 2-0 at home to neighbours, Everton, a week after falling 3-1 to Leicester City.
EPL: Klopp gives reasons for Liverpool’s 16 points behind Man City, surrenders title chase
