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Danny Murphy admits Everton could sneak into the Premier League top four ahead of former club Liverpool this season.
The Reds are in disarray having lost five straight games at Anfield – one of those was the Merseyside derby last month.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are less than 12 months removed from storming to the title with 99 points.
They have been well off the pace and slipped down to seventh following their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.
Liverpool may only be five points off the Blues in fourth place, but there are teams between them and Champions League football who are in better form.
“I would have said Liverpool would bounce back but I haven’t seen enough unfortunately and that’s hard to say coming from me,” Murphy told talkSPORT.
“I think Everton might sneak in, and it pains me to say that, as they look really strong defensively at the moment.
“The looks of (Ben) Godfrey have been terrific, (Mason) Holgate, (Michael) Keane, they look really difficult to beat.
“Sometimes, at this stage of the season, it’s not about how good you look on the eye. It’s how you are getting over the line in games.”
A target of criticism has been Thiago Alcantara, who was signed from Bayern Munich in the summer.
The midfielder has been accused of negative play and stifling the potency of Liverpool’s attack.
Murphy believes it would have been a different story had it not been for the Reds’ crippling injury problems.
“If he’d have walked into the team, sat in front of (Virgil) Van Dijk and (Joe) Gomez, alongside Fabinho and (Jordan) Henderson, for example, you’d be seeing a different player,” he added.
“He might not be the dynamic, box-to-box midfielder everyone thinks Liverpool need but when you are playing well, and back to playing well, you will see someone who can control tempo and do everything in midfield you need to do.
“I think he’ll be fine when they get everyone back.”
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