Klopp admits Liverpool 'were not good enough' for the Champions League
Mohamed Salah says he is "totally devastated" that Liverpool have failed to secure Champions League football and that the club has "no excuse" for missing out on the top four.
Manchester United sealed the final Champions League spot after a 4-1 win over Chelsea on Thursday night, spelling the end of Liverpool's chances of qualifying for Europe's elite club competition.
Newcastle, who currently occupy fourth heading into the final Premier League game of the season, secured Champions League football after a goalless draw with Leicester on Monday.
It is the first time Liverpool have failed to qualify for the Champions League since the 2015-16 season.
Salah says the six-time European champions have let themselves down, with the Merseyside club set to finish the 2022-23 season in fifth place.
"I’m totally devastated," the Egypt international wrote on Twitter.
"There’s absolutely no excuse for this. We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed.
"We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum. I am sorry but it’s too soon for an uplifting or optimistic post. We let you and ourselves down."
Liverpool are currently unbeaten in their last 10 matches, winning seven and drawing three. However, the Reds have not been able to close the gap on their top-four rivals late on in the season.
A 1-1 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday all but ended their top four hopes and Jurgen Klopp admitted after Liverpool's final home game of the season that the campaign had been "frustrating".
"Frustrating wherever you sit," the German said.
"We made it a proper fight - chasing the Champions League in general. They [the teams above] got more points.
"We would have loved to have made it exciting for another week but we couldn't do that.
"I asked the boys after the game, who was really, really good today? It was difficult to find one. But the character we showed was good.
"Aston Villa were screwed in the second half and they didn't know how to deal with it."
Liverpool exited the Champions at the round of 16 stage this season after a 6-2 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid.
