Jurgen Klopp believes Manchester City would not have won the Premier League with the same problems Liverpool have endured.
Pep Guardiola’s side clinched their third crown in four seasons with a 17-point cushion over an injury-hit Reds squad that were champions 12 months ago.
Despite suffering major defensive injuries earlier in the campaign, the Anfield club topped the table at Christmas before suffering a major downturn in form.
Liverpool can secure a Champions League qualification place with victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday, assuming results elsewhere work in their favour.
But Klopp argues that City have benefited from the good fortune of not losing several key personnel to injury problems which his fallen champions endured.
“It is how I said before this year, with the amount of injuries we have had it was not the year to become champions. No chance. For nobody,” he told Sky Sports.
“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.
“For the whole season pretty much too, that is how it is.
‘We have fought back a bit, accepted the difficulties and made the best of it.
“If we win on Sunday, and if we qualify for the Champions League, then we made the best of it. That is it.
“Ask Manchester United now if at the moment they like the Europa League, [being in the final] and they would say ‘yes’.
“They love to play the final and have the chance to win. So we already did kind of a job but not the one we wanted to do.”