Jurgen Klopp has admitted it would be hard to take should Liverpool finish fourth in the Premier League this season and still be denied entry into the Champions League.
UEFA rules allow a maximum of five clubs per country into the competition and that would include the winners of this season's Champions League and Europa League who are granted automatic qualification.
It raises the prospect of Chelsea and Arsenal, both well placed to reach European finals, joining the Premier League's current top three in the Champions League regardless of where they finish domestically.