Seeking positives from the disappointing result, the veteran midfielder argued that such an effort would help the Reds qualify for the top four in the Premier League, as “the intensity and desire were good.”
Liverpool did enough to win the game
James Milner said Liverpool were “clearly the better team” on Wednesday despite their 0-0 draw with Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final, which sent them out of competition through a 3-1 aggregate scoreline. Seeking positives from the disappointing result, the veteran midfielder argued that such an effort would help the Reds qualify for the top four in the Premier League, as “the intensity and desire were good”. But Milner also stressed that Liverpool cannot continue to waste their chances in front of the net the way they did against Real Madrid. “We were the better team,” Milner said. “We did enough to win the game. The performance, intensity and desire were good. But you can’t take the chances we had, and that was the difference. The good news is that we are creating the chances and reaction we showed.”
“We wanted to come out of the blocks and set that pace. If we had played that first match with the same intensity, it would have been very different. Ultimately, we weren’t good enough for two games. The most important thing is if we perform with the desire and intensity, we hope we can make it to these top four spots”. Being eliminated from the Champions League – and previously getting bounced from the FA Cup – will certainly alleviate fixture congestion. Still, it will also put more pressure on the rest of the domestic slate. Liverpool have a Premier League schedule that is favourable on paper at least, with Manchester United and Leeds United the only top half sides left to play. They slipped against teams they had a chance to win all season, however, and should respond well to the intensity of a tough race for the top four.