It’s Europa League or nothing for Liverpool, says Kolo Toure

Kolo Toure: Pinning hopes on Europa League

Kolo Toure: Pinning hopes on Europa League

Liverpool defender Kolo Toure hopes the Europa League can save their season after an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat in the Capital One Cup final left them with little else to play for.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are nine points off fourth place in the Premier League – although Wednesday’s match at home to Wembley conquerors Manchester City offers a chance to reduce that – and Champions League qualification via that route looks highly unlikely.

So the main priority now is trying to qualify for the premier European club competition by winning the Europa League.

They will have to get past arch-rivals Manchester United, whom they have drawn for the first time in Europe, in the last 16 but Toure believes it is the only way to salvage a campaign which has occasionally promised success but ultimately failed to deliver.

“Winning the Europa League can save the season and the Premier League is not done yet,” said the centre-back.

“Of course we have plenty of games coming. We have another Premier League game which is very important. We need to digest this loss and then focus for the game because it will be tough.

“We can get three points against City. The final showed both sides can win.”

Defeat to City was Liverpool’s third in succession at Wembley, having lost the 2012 FA Cup final to Chelsea and then last season’s semi-final to a struggling Aston Villa side.

Toure was an unused substitute last April but he at least came off the bench against former club City after a clash of heads forced Mamadou Sakho off after 25 minutes.

While he may not be around to make amends – the 34-year-old defender’s contract expires in the summer – he believes Klopp’s squad of younger players can benefit.

“You have to learn to lose sometimes before you win,” he added.

“We will learn as a team together to lose and we hope we can win next time.”