Carragher warns Slot over Champions League miss

• Jamie Carragher says Arne Slot’s position becomes untenable without Champions League qualification
• Liverpool dropped to sixth after losing at Bournemouth, with rivals’ wins tightening the race for fourth
• Carragher argued Liverpool’s squad is built for Europe more than the Premier League

Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool head coach Arne Slot wouldn’t have “a leg to stand on” if the club fails to reach next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool slipped to sixth in the Premier League after their defeat at Bournemouth, and results elsewhere for Manchester United and Chelsea left them two points outside the top four. They can still secure a place in the Champions League knockout phase when they play Qarabag on Wednesday, but Carragher said domestic qualification is the real pressure point.

“I think some of the criticism and the disrespect he’s had from supporters is far too much, considering they won the league title last season, but if he doesn’t qualify for the Champions League, he doesn’t have a leg to stand on,” Carragher told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.

“Liverpool as a club and support can accept they are not going to win the league or challenge this year. We accept it: not good enough, but we accept it.

“Once you start seeing what Manchester United have done in the last couple of weeks, once you start seeing Chelsea, and you see where Liverpool could finish outside the Champions League positions I really fear for them.

“Once you start fearing Champions League qualification for next season that’s when you have a completely different proposition when you are talking about the manager’s job.

“Not making the Champions League as champions, spending £450 million ($615.95m) and having the highest wage bill in the Premier League – which is the biggest determining factor normally about where you finish in the league – I think you have serious questions to ask.”

Carragher also pointed to what he sees as a structural issue with Liverpool’s squad when it comes to the Premier League, arguing they struggle with several common challenges top sides face over a season.

“The real worry I have for Liverpool in actually qualifying for the Champions League is, if I think of the three big things you come up against in the Premier League, it’s set-pieces and long throws, it’s counter-attacking football for and against, and if you are a top team like Liverpool it’s coming up against low blocks – Liverpool can’t cope with any of them,” he added.

“We are seeing a team not suited to the Premier League. When we see them in Europe are set-pieces and long throws as important? No. Is counter-attacking important? It is always important, but not as much in Europe and no-one plays a low block in Europe so it suits Liverpool.

“They can beat Real Madrid, they can go away to Inter Milan and win, they can go away and win at Marseille, get into the top eight and into the knockout round.

“I don’t think this team is equipped for Premier League.”