Jurgen Klopp has indicated Liverpool face a "difficult" summer in the transfer window regardless of whether or not they secure Champions League qualification.
The Premier League champions, who visit bitter North West rivals Manchester United on Sunday, stand four points adrift of the top four in sixth place with only five games remaining.
A lack of Champions League football for the first time in five seasons could impact on Liverpool 's ability to persuade players to move to Anfield this summer.
But Klopp was warned the ongoing effect of the coronavirus pandemic - the Reds are understood to have lost around £120million since the initial outbreak in March 2020 - means there are already significant hurdles during the transfer window.
Asked if finishing outside the top four would alter his recruitment plans, the Reds boss said: "I don't think so, really.
"Playing Champions League obviously is massive, especially from a financial point of view for the club. So it's really important.
"If we cannot make that, then that's not good. Definitely not.
"I don't think it will change anything because the situation was difficult before and it is difficult after.
"Football is in a difficult situation. I don't think it will change a lot."
Klopp admits that victory at Old Trafford - where he has never won as a manager - is pivotal to keeping alive Liverpool's hopes of overhauling fourth-placed Chelsea.
“More than 100%," he said, speaking on Friday.. "Even then, if the others all win nothing changes for us.
"But without winning football games we will not end up in any kind of European competition, so for us everything is clear.
“For sure when you are a Liverpool player or a manager it is the game where you have to give everything anyway."
Defeat for United, who thumped Roma 6-2 at home in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday, would hand Manchester City the title if Pep Guardiola's side win at Crystal Palace in Saturday's early kick-off.
And Klopp added: "Is it the best place to go after conceding a late goal against Newcastle? I don't know. Is it the best place to go after watching them score five goals in one half last night? I don't know.
"We just have to make sure we are ready for it. It doesn't happen really often you face an opponent in exactly the right moment like having five red cards in the last game and they have a lot of niggles so (players) can't play.
"They looked pretty good last night and we are ready for that. I have no worries, to be honest. We trained intense, we tried to stimulate intensity which means we will have the right legs to go in and then we will see what we make of it.
"It will be a game where two teams try to win it. This is a good start for a football game I would say and both teams have to win it, which is a good recipe for a good game as well. Let's see what we can make of that."
