(Reuters) – Liverpool may be ending the season with a flourish and could still qualify for Europe but what has gone before has been unacceptable, according to right back Trent Alexander Arnold.
The Anfield club moved up to sixth place on Wednesday after coming from a goal down to beat West Ham United 2-1 away, their third successive Premier League victory.
They remain six points Newcastle United and Manchester United in third and fourth places and with games running out it seems unlikely Liverpool will make the Champions League.
While a Europa League berth would be some consolation, Alexander Arnold said Liverpool must improve next season.
“Some tweaks (need to be made) — it has to be just a blip,” Alexander Arnold told the BBC. “We can’t have a season again like this, this isn’t acceptable.
“It needs to be a freak season and then next season be back in title races — that’s our aim.”
Liverpool have begun to look a little more like the side that won the title in 2020 and have gone toe-to-toe with reigning champions Manchester City in some epic title races.
Alexander Arnold pointed out that some tactical changes had allowed Liverpool to hit their stride again.
“We’ve gone to a bit of a back three so everyone’s roles have changed,” he said. “Players further forward have to fill in the spaces but it gives us an extra player going forward in the attacking line to sustain pressure and keep pressure on teams, which is what we’ve been lacking this season.
“You have good times you have bad times, you have to roll with the punches. We’re enjoying it now, winning games, and we’re getting some momentum.”
Liverpool host seventh-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
