(Reuters) – On Thursday, Liverpool secured their spot in the Europa League last 16 as group winners with a 4-0 triumph over LASK from Austria at Anfield. Manager Juergen Klopp expressed his satisfaction with the result, especially as the team braces for a hectic schedule ahead.
By clinching the top spot in Group E with a game to spare, the Premier League club has steered clear of the need to go through a playoff round in February to reach the last 16.
“We are now top of the table and that will not change,” Klopp informed reporters. “That’s good, very important in the busy, busy, busy schedule we have from now on.”
Klopp cited numerous positives from the victory, the only downside being the team’s failure to finish the game off sooner.
“Performance really good, nobody got injured. All good,” he added.
Liverpool’s next match is at home against Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, followed by visits to Sheffield United and Crystal Palace. They will wrap up their Europa League group stage campaign with a trip to Union Saint-Gilloise on Dec. 14.
While the Europa League may not be as prestigious as the Champions League, Klopp emphasized that Liverpool is determined to make a deep run in the competition.
“Unfortunately, my career is not like this where I can choose, to be honest. I have to take what I get,” he added.
“When we play the competition it’s the most important competition on the planet. Easy as that. But now we play Premier League on Sunday and so that is then the most important competition, definitely.”
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
