Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp claims that Manchester City would not have won the Premier League this season if they had to deal with his side's injury crisis.
The Reds have been used to shift the centre-backs position 19 times this season with the regular pair of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez missing most of the season with knee injuries.
Fellow defender Joel Matip, midfielders Fabinho and Jordan Henderson and new signing Diogo Jota were among those to also miss large parts of the campaign.
"With our injuries it was not the year to become champions," Klopp said.
"No chance - for nobody.
"As good as they are, if City have their three centre-halves out, no [they don't win the league]. Three centre-halves of [Manchester] United, no.
"We have fought back a bit, accepted the difficulties and made the best of it, and if we win on Sunday, and if we qualify for the Champions League, then we made the best of it. That is it."
Despite being top of the table at Christmas Liverpool staged a remarkable drop in form including six home losses in a row, a first in the club’s history.
But they have bounced back, with seven victories in nine matches meaning that if they win their final match at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday they should qualify for the Champions League.