Ex-Liverpool striker Michael Owen says he is now questioning whether his former club will finish in the top four this season after their defeat to Brentford.

The Reds are still in touching distance of the Champions League places, sitting four points behind Manchester United (before Tuesday’s fixtures), but Owen says Jurgen Klopp’s side’s lack of consistency means they are in danger of missing out on fourth:

“I started this show by saying I fancy Liverpool to get into the top four, but after today it is a bit of a worry. But I still think they are one of the four best Premier League teams in the competition, but consistency. The worst thing is after 16 games for Liverpool now, they are out of the title race.”

“They can’t win the league, can they? That’s something you think, Liverpool, after the recent years they have had, they have always taken it to the wire. They have always been up there challenging. But after 16 games all talk is about, can they get into the top four? It is a real big worry for them.”

Things are not looking good for Liverpool, to be honest with you. United will be seven points clear if (as expected) they beat Bournemouth. They are already six adrift of Newcastle, while Tottenham are also above them in the table.

As Owen says, any hopes of overhauling Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the table have now been extinguished, and if they are to rescue their season, they have to address their erratic form.

Getting results away from home is a key area where the Reds can make improvements. They have an abject record on the road currently, having won just two games out of eight, drawing two and losing four. Klopp has to find solutions or things could get ugly.