LONDON: Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool are under pressure as they try to salvage a troubled season by finishing in the Premier League鈥檚 top four.

Klopp鈥檚 side have failed to defend the Premier League title they won last term and were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid on Wednesday.

That quarterfinal exit means Liverpool鈥檚 only route back into Europe鈥檚 elite club competition next season is via a top-four finish in the league.

The sixth-placed Reds have been outside the top four since early February and they slipped as low as eighth before winning their last three leagues games to get back in the race.

Fourth-placed West Ham鈥檚 3-2 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday was a major boost to Liverpool鈥檚 hopes.

With seven pressure-packed games left, they would go above the Hammers on goal difference with a victory at Leeds on Monday.

鈥淲e just go for it, go and go and go and play our best football,鈥� Klopp said.

鈥淲e are of course under pressure as we want to finish in the top four but we don鈥檛 know in the moment if we will. We have seven games to prove that and we will try.鈥�

Leeds are coming off an impressive victory at leaders Manchester City last weekend where they played half the match with 10 men.

Klopp is well aware of the threat posed by Marcelo Bielsa鈥檚 side and he said: 鈥淲e should not forget the opponents we face. We won the last three and that鈥檚 why we鈥檙e still around, still in the fight for the Champions League spots.

鈥淚t鈥檚 clear we have to win football games. It would be best to win all of them, but they are tough opponents and we have to respect all of them.

鈥淲e have to win games and put pressure on teams. That鈥檚 all we know and we will try.鈥�

Injury-plagued Liverpool鈥檚 recent strong form domestically has been helped by the developing partnership between center backs Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips.

Liverpool have won the four Premier League games they have started together, offering a solution to the defensive issues triggered by long-term injuries to Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez.

鈥淯sing the information you have just given me I鈥檇 better start them in the next game as well,鈥� Klopp said.

鈥淭hese things have to develop. There was never a question about their quality, the boys have quality but you have to bring it together.鈥�