EPL: Sadio Mane double secures Champions League spot for Liverpool

A fifth straight win completed an impressive end to what had been a disappointing and injury-plagued Premier League campaign for last season’s champions Liverpool as they finished with 69 points, two clear of fourth-placed Chelsea and three ahead of Leicester City.

Sadio Mane struck twice as Liverpool secured Champions League qualification with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday (May 23) ensuring a third-placed finish for Juergen Klopp’s side. A fifth straight win completed an impressive end to what had been a disappointing and injury-plagued Premier League campaign for last season’s champions as they finished with 69 points, two clear of fourth-placed Chelsea and three ahead of Leicester City. “If you had told me five weeks ago that we would finish third, I would think it is not possible,” said Klopp. “Credit to the boys I can’t believe how it worked out in the last few weeks. From outside you cannot understand it. In the hardest moments you can learn the most. We really stuck together all the time, no arguments,” added the German. With 10,000 home fans present, Liverpool made a nervy start and Palace’s Andros Townsend missed a great chance when he intercepted a poor pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold but with only Alisson Becker to beat, he fired wide of the post.