Crouch: Title race is over

Peter Crouch has admitted that Liverpool’s title race is as good as over. The lanky substitute grabbed a last-minute equaliser which leaves Liverpool in 5th place, 14 points behind the leaders.

Peter Crouch says Liverpool’s title ambitions have collapsed with the beanpole striker admitting: ‘The gap is certainly too far.’

“With the squad we have at Liverpool, the gap is certainly too far. We’ve fallen a long way behind and it’s just not good enough.

“There’s enough talent in the dressing room. We’ve got a good set of players here. Whether it’s good enough to win the title, I don’t know – but we certainly should be doing better than the position we are in right now.

“First and foremost we have to cement a Champions League spot for next year, that’s the minimum and that’s what we have got to strive for.”

Even manager Rafa Benitez now appears to have given up all hope of claiming Liverpool’s first title since 1990 and is setting his sights on getting a top-four place – and Champions League qualification.

With his side dropping 15 points from their 11 Premier League home games, he said: “We cannot talk about the title – we need to talk about finishing in the top four and, if you can carry on, get into third place.

“But for now we just have to be realistic about the situation and to try and start winning at home and try to finish in the top four.”