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Liverpool FC could be placed into pot two for next season’s Europa League group stage, less than 10 years after they were officially one of the best teams in Europe.

The Reds’ entry into the group stage was confirmed with Arsenal’s FA Cup win over Aston Villa, but they look set to be paired with a tricky opponent due to their lowly coefficient ranking.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Brendan Rodgers’ side are currently 42nd in Uefa’s club coefficient ranking – below teams like Anderlecht, Rubin Kazan and Sporting Lisbon – with an overall score of 47.078.

The rankings are based on the results of the clubs competing in the five previous seasons of Champions League and Europa League football, and determine the seeding for all competition draws.

With Liverpool failing to move past the last 16 of any European competition in the past five years – their elimination to Braga in 2010-11 their best result – they are set to be seeded second in next season’s competition.

They are currently the third best-ranked team in pot two based on current qualification projections.

HOW COULD THEY GET INTO POT TWO?

Teams such as Schalke, Napoli, Tottenham, Villarreal, Marseille and Dnipro are all guaranteed to be in pot one and have qualified for the Europa League group stage.

It means the Reds must rely on the likes of Borussia Dortmund or Athletic Bilbao to be eliminated in one of the two rounds before the group stage, or hope the teams that drop into the Europa League from the minefield of Champions League qualification and play-off have a lower coefficient than Liverpool’s.

Teams which lose in the play-off round of the Champions League go directly into the Europa League group stages.

HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?

Liverpool went into the 2008-09 season as the third-best team in Europe, bettered only by AC Milan and Chelsea, and above the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

The Champions League win of 2005 helped, but there had been strong European performances throughout the five years – including a final appearance in 2007 – put them high on the list with a score of 118.889.

They would finish as quarter-finalists that season and Europa League semi-finalists the season after – seeing them start 2010-11 fifth in Europe.

But their European record has disappointed since. A defeat to Braga in the last 16 is the best they have managed, with elimination in the last 32 to Zenit and Besiktas. An underwhelming Champions League campaign compounds the misery.

2011-12 coefficient: 115.157 (fifth)

2012-13 coefficient: 90.882 (11th)

2013-14 coefficient: 78.592 (17th)

2014-15 coefficient: 58.949 (32th)

2015-16 coefficient: 47.078 (42nd)