Trent Alexander-Arnold on Top Four Race: “We’re Not in That Right Now”

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The Liverpool star was pleased by the win over Fulham but has reservations about the performance—and where the Reds are in the top four race.

Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Fulham on Wednesday evening marked the Reds’ fifth win in a row, the first time in an up-and-down season where they’ve managed that. It’s another step in the right direction, but one that feels as though it may come too late.

With four games to play, they sit fifth with a five point advantage on the sides chasing them, making them favourites to earn a Europa League place. However, a top four finish and with it Champions League qualification continues to appear the longest of long shots.

“We want to be in title races at this stage of the season or in genuine top four races,” noted Trent Alexander-Arnold following Wednesday night’s victory under the lights at Anfield. “We’re not in that right now and that might be why the mood is a little low.”

Looking at the points column, Liverpool are just four points back of Manchester United in fourth and six off Newcastle in third. However, the two sides they’re chasing have two and one games in hand respectively and there’s no much season left to play.

The only chance of even having a chance will likely take the Reds extending their current five game winning streak to nine by winning their four remaining matches—and even then one of the sides they’re chasing will need to have a very poor final month.

While there’s hope, then, it’s decidedly slim, and Liverpool may simply have left it too late. Still, for perhaps the first time in 2022-23 one could genuinely say they are in good form and that a continued winning run, while unlikely, isn’t entirely impossible.

“We won the game and that’s all that matters,” Alexander-Arnold added of the situation. “They’re a good side and have performed well this season. We dominated a lot of the first half and they had counter-attacks but then they grew into the second half.

“It’s becoming a bit of a pattern, not being able to sustain our good starts. It’s something we probably need to look at. It reflects where we are in the league and what we have to play for. It’s not where we want to be as a club as players, staff and fans.”