Brendan Rodgers believes his Liverpool side could benefit from a season away from European competition, according to ESPN.
The Reds go into the last six games of the Premier League season seven points behind fifth-placed Arsenal – the only position which would guarantee them Europa League football next season.
But while Rodgers insists the club wants to be included in a continental competition next year, he says a year away from it could help his side concentrate on developing their domestic form.
Rodgers said: “It’s a double-edged sword for us. We want to be in Europe, the players want to be in there, the supporters want to be in there.
“But you could argue that having one season out of Europe would give us an even greater chance next season of really challenging at the top of the league in that top four, because that is a really difficult task now with the number of teams up there, and with the finances involved, that are way beyond what we have.”
The Merseyside club reached the last-32 of the Europa League this season before being eliminated by Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Liverpool travel to Reading on Saturday knowing a victory over the Premier League’s bottom side could lift them above their local rivals Everton and into sixth place.
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