Jamie Carragher makes Liverpool and transfer claim following top four finish

Liverpool's rollercoaster of a season ended on a positive note after they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Anfield to finish in third and secure Champions League football next season.

Though they fell remarkably short of retaining their Premier League crown, this was massively down to a number of key injuries to vital members of the squad.

Jurgen Klopp's three first choice central defenders in Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all enduring lengthy spells on the side-lines.

However, Liverpool managed to turn the tide late on and after spending much of the campaign languishing between fifth and eighth, a fine run of form at the tail-end of the season meant the Reds will play in European club football's most elite competition.

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has cited the importance of finishing in the coveted top four spots and how it could impact the club's transfer dealings.

“I think a lot of people, or definitely the people at Liverpool – supporters, players, staff, they’ve just wanted this season out of the way for a long time, certainly in the last few months," he said on Sky Sports' commentary.

"So to come out of it with the Champions League next season, financial gains, in terms of the summer, because there will need to be some changes to the team that Klopp has built in the last few years.

"Georginio Wijnaldum moving on, being one, right through the spine of the team they need players to come in and it’s going to be a lot easier to do that with this result and finding themselves in third position in the table.”

Liverpool boss Klopp was elated come the full-time whistle, relieved that he be able to entice potential recruits with the allure of Champions League football for another campaign.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after the game, Klopp said: "Outstanding, best I could've dreamt of – we wanted this feeling, this game, this atmospere.

"Finishing the season in third is incredible, I can't believe it – credit to the boys I can't believe how it worked out in the last few weeks, incredible.

"Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips are both cut up and stitched, Rhys hasn't trained for three days, Gini Wijnaldum leaving the club and we all love him to bits.

"We will miss him so much, with football it's normal that people leave, but I will miss him so much."

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