File picture of Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

AFP/Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers conceded Liverpool will be hard-pressed to qualify for the Champions League after a 0-0 draw at West Brom dealt a major blow to their bid for a top-four finish.
Rodgers’ fifth-placed side drew a blank at the Hawthorns.
With speculation linking Liverpool with a move for PSV Eindhoven’s talented young striker Memphis Depay, Rodgers’ glaring need to bolster Liverpool’s firepower was underlined as they were frustrated by Tony Pulis’ resilient side.
But attracting a player of Depay’s quality to Anfield will be much harder for Rodgers without the lure of the Champions League, especially with Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain also pursuing him. “It’s going to be very difficult now to make the Champions League,” Rodgers said.
“With five games remaining, we certainly need to win four at least. That’s what we must aim to do to give ourselves a chance.
“You never know what might happen above us though. What we have to do right now is make sure that we keep the pressure on.
“We have our game in hand this week and the important thing is that we win that one.”
Liverpool had the chances to take all three points, with Steven Gerrard going close to marking his 500th Premier League appearance with a goal from a free kick, while Jordan Ibe rattled the crossbar.
But with Mario Balotelli failing to make the most of a rare starting place with a typically inconsistent display, Liverpool’s shortage of goals in the absence of the injured Daniel Sturridge was laid bare.
“If you take 52 goals out of our team, then it doesn’t help you,” said Rodgers in reference to the pre-season sale of Luis Suarez and the constant injury problems suffered by Sturridge.
“We just don’t score as many goals, it’s as simple as that. In every other way we have played well, but we just lacked that bit of luck and bit of quality in the final third.
“That is something that we will have to look at in the summer, for sure.
“Our intent was to win the game, but you have to give credit to West Brom, they defended very well, as you’d expect of Tony Pulis’ team.
“In the first half, the idea was very good, but we were a bit slow. Second half was much better, but we just couldn’t find the final pass, the final touch which makes the difference.”



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