MANCHESTER – Liverpool fans jeered as the defending Premier League champion dropped more points on Saturday.
A 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Anfield saw Liverpool move a step closer to guaranteed Champions League qualification — fourth in the table with two rounds left — but another unconvincing performance sparked a frustrated reaction from the crowd.
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There were boos at the final whistle to mark growing unrest from Liverpool supporters in a season that has seen the team tamely surrender the title despite spending around $570 million in the transfer market.
There has been speculation about the job of coach Arne Slot, who insists there will be improvements next term.
“This season they (fans) will have their opinion and it will not change, but if we can have the summer that we are planning to have I am 100% convinced we will be a different team next season," he said. "Different in terms of results, different in how things look."
Third-placed Manchester United drew at Sunderland 0-0 while there were wins for Champions League-chasing Bournemouth and Brighton.
Manchester City met Brentford in the late game.
Crunch game for Liverpool
Liverpool can make certain of a place in the Champions League with a victory at Aston Villa next Friday. But it could find itself in fifth place by the time that game kicks off.
Villa was fifth and would leapfrog Liverpool by beating relegated Burnley on Sunday. The top five automatically qualify for the Champions League and English clubs could get a sixth spot if Villa wins the Europa League and finishes outside the top four.
The draw allowed Chelsea to break its six-game losing streak. Enzo Fernandez's bouncing free kick went in before halftime to equalize after Ryan Gravenberch's early goal.
Liverpool twice went close to a winner in the second half when Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk hit the woodwork.
Unlikely Champions League contenders
Bournemouth and Brighton were still pushing for Champions League qualification after both recorded wins.
Sixth-placed Bournemouth won at Fulham 1-0 in a game in which both teams were reduced to 10 men.
Brighton was seventh and beat last-placed Wolverhampton 3-0.
Man U misses players
Without injured striker Benjamin Sesko and Brazil midfielder Casemiro, United failed to find a breakthrough at Sunderland.
United managed just one shot on target in a dour match.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer