Simon Mignolet insists Liverpool remain very much in the hunt for a top-four finish, despite their defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
The Reds entered the field against United on the back of an impressive 13-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, a run which saw them rise to fifth place and just two points behind their old rivals. So a win over Louis van Gaal’s men would have placed them in pole position for a UEFA Champions League spot with just eight fixtures remaining.
However, it wasn’t to be as a Juan Mata brace gave the visitors a 2-1 win, in a match which also saw Steven Gerrard sent off within seconds of coming on as a half-time substitute. United now have a five-point advantage over Brendan Rodgers’ side, but Mignolet insists he and his team-mates can overhaul this tally before the end of the season.
“We have another big game away to Arsenal which is going to be massive in the race for the Champions League,” the former Sunderland goalkeeper, currently on international duty with Belgium, told Sky Sports News HQ. “We have to look forward. There is still a lot to play for, we’ve got the FA Cup too so hopefully we can do well on both sides.”
Suddenly the match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium is almost a must-win for Liverpool. Should they lose in the capital they will not only fall nine points behind the Gunners, who have won all six games since losing at Tottenham Hotspur in February, but they could also lose more ground on United who take on Aston Villa at Old Trafford later in the day.
