Liverpool hopes dashed as FA rules top four qualify

Andy Hampson

The decision follows a recommendation from yesterday's professional game board meeting, which has been endorsed by the FA main board.

It means that, even if Liverpool win the Champions League, they will have to overtake city rivals Everton if they want to play in Europe's premier club competition next season.

However, the FA say they will lobby UEFA for a fifth Champions League place, if Liverpool beat AC Milan in Istanbul later this month.

Meanwhile, Everton welcomed the development.

With Liverpool unlikely to qualify via the league, there had been suggestions one of England's four places should go to the Anfield side if they were to win the final later this month.

The news was greeted with cautious relief by Everton who are currently in fourth place, three points ahead of their city rivals with two games to play.

Everton chief executive Keith Wyness told the club's website, www.evertonfc.com: "Whilst we welcome the announcement from the FA regarding clarification on the fourth place qualification issue, we are still operating in a hypothetical situation with regards to Everton's position."

UEFA leave the allocation of each country's Champions League places in the hands of national associations.

There had been some hope for Liverpool in the example set in 2000 by the Spanish FA who selected fifth-placed Real Madrid over fourth-placed Real Zaragoza after the former won the Champions League.

However, with the Premier League likely to have resisted any attempt to remove the reward from the team finishing fourth, the board of six chairmen decided to leave Liverpool's fate in UEFA's hands.

The board is made up of Dave Richards (Premier League), David Dein (Arsenal vice-chairman), Rupert Lowe (Southampton), Phil Gartside (Bolton), David Sheepshanks (Ipswich) and Peter Heard (Colchester).

The decision was endorsed by UEFA's director of communication, William Gaillard.

He said: "That is fine. This is the rule although the FA could have asked for an exception and replaced the fourth-placed team with the eventual winners of the Champions League if Liverpool win it.

"They have chosen not to. However, the Premiership is not over and there are still three games for Everton and two for Liverpool so we could have a nice race."

Liverpool do have small cause for hope with the FA intending to try to persuade UEFA to award fifth place to English football, although the competition's rules stipulate a maximum of four entrants from each country.

UEFA president Lennart Johansson has made it clear the association's executive committee has the power to make and enforce changes.

The Anfield side will have an ally in Everton, with Wyness adding: "Despite what is a most intense local rivalry, we do believe if Liverpool were to win this year's tournament they should be invited to return as holders."

Liverpool fans have begun their countdown to the final with a frantic search for tickets, flights and accommodation.

Fans have clogged websites and travel firms for flights and accommodation for the game in Istanbul.

But 100,000 hotel rooms in the city are already snapped up by travel agents and return flights to Istanbul on and around the date of the final are already hitting the £600 (880) mark.

There are approximately 69,500 tickets available in all and the allocation breaks down as follows: Liverpool: 20,000. AC Milan: 20,000. Uefa website: 7,500. Turkish FA: 7,500. Uefa football family: 7,500. Total: 69,500.

Meanwhile, AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti admits it is going to be difficult for his side to break Liverpool down in the final.

Ancelotti, whose side scraped past PSV Eindhoven on the away goals rule on Wednesday night, claimed Rafael Benitez's men were largely defensive in their 1-0 win over Chelsea at Anfield.

He said: "We saw the semi-final on Tuesday. Liverpool did not play much football. They were quite defensive but it certainly will not be easy for us in Istanbul.

"PSV is a team that wants to play with the ball and they also give you space and let you play when you are in possession.

"Liverpool don't do that but it will still be very hard to beat them."