The Athletic FC.

Hi there and welcome to the Athletic FC podcast with me, Adam Leventhal.

So Liverpool will play Champions League football next season,

despite finishing closer to the relegation zone

than they did to the Champions Arsenal.

So is that enough for Arna Slott to keep his job at

Anfield? Well, with me for this one, we are joined by the Athletics Liverpool correspondent James

Pierce and James Horncastle, who has his finger on the pulse of so many things across the

wide world of football is here with us as well.

So Liverpool, they just crawled over the line, didn't they, on Sunday, with that one-all

home draw with Brentford, fifth and failed to win any of their last four games, drawing two and

losing two. James, you've, James Pierce, I should say,

and we've got two Jameses. Pierce, it's going to be like primary school. Yes, sir. Yes,

quite. How do you feel after this season? Because it's been quite a drop-off, hasn't it?

Yeah, I think probably like most Liverpool supporters, just glad it's over

because it's been a struggle almost from start to finish. Of course, you know, it started way,

way back at the start of preseason last July in tragic circumstances with the loss of Diogo

Jota. And, you know, I think there was an acceptance then.

Certainly internally, it was going to be a really difficult season in the circumstances,

but I think it turned out to be probably even tougher than anyone anticipated with a whole

host of factors, which I'm sure we'll come on to discuss, contributing to, you know,

what Liverpool ended up with 60 points, their lowest total

...