Liverpool learn how many points are needed to qualify for Champions League knockout rounds

Liverpool have been informed how many points they may need to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. The Reds enjoyed the perfect start to the competition on Tuesday night with a victory over AC Milan.

Goals from Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai secured the three points for Liverpool at the San Siro. Former Chelsea star Christian Pulisic had opened the scoring in the contest in Italy, but the Reds responded with three goals of their own to get the win.

The match was Arne Slot's first European fixture since taking over as Liverpool's new head coach. The Reds will now look ahead to their next fixture in the competition, which comes against Bologna at Anfield on October 2.

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Liverpool still have seven more league phase fixtures to play before they can think about competing in the knockout stages. In order to do that, though, the Reds will have to achieve a certain position in the league phase standings.

All 36 teams in the competition will play eight league phase fixtures from now until the end of January. The top eight in the final standings will automatically qualify for the last-16 stage, while the teams from ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged play-off to be played in February. Teams that finish 25th to 36th will be eliminated, and there is no longer the safety net of competing in the Europa League for teams that are knocked out.

Should Liverpool finish in the top eight, then they will be able to relax and enjoy two free midweeks in February before the last-16 stage in March. Sky Sports have used Opta to predict how many points teams would need to finish in the top 24 spots or top eight of the league phase.

The report states that Liverpool would have a 100 percent chance of qualifying in the top eight with a total of 17 points, while the percentage drops to 98 percent with 16 points. In terms of a spot in the top 24, the article states that 10 points should be enough to at least book a spot in the play-off round.

Liverpool still have away trips to RB Leipzig, PSV Eindhoven and Girona in their league phase fixtures of the Champions League. The Reds also have to play Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Lille, as well as Bologna, at Anfield in their home fixtures.