Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has backed former club Liverpool to qualify for the Champions League this season.

The Reds will not be involved in any European competition during the 2016-17 campaign having finished eighth in the Premier League table and lost the Europa League final last season.

The last time Liverpool were in such a situation was in 2013-14, when they came agonisingly close to winning the title with Rodgers at the helm, and the Northern Irishman sees parallels between the two seasons.

"I think Liverpool have a great chance to qualify this season. It reminds me very much of the season when we finished runners-up, 2013-14, where you want to be in Europe, but if you don't have European football you have the possibility to work even more on the training field and work with the players much closer," he told reporters.

"You have less games, you can train them more and practise more and then hopefully that allows your performance [to improve].

"I think Liverpool this season have made some good signings and that, along with the possibility to work more, gives them a great chance of qualification for the top four."

Liverpool begin the new season away to Arsenal on Sunday, August 14.