A perfect start didn’t turn into a perfect storyline as Liverpool won on the night but exited the Europa League on aggregate at Atalanta.
Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool
Atalanta progress 3-1 on aggregate
Europa League quarter final, second leg
Gewiss Stadium
April 18, 2024
Goals: Salah pen 7′
Alisson – 7 (out of 10)
Pulled off a stupendous one-handed save to claw away Van Dijk’s misplaced interception.
Spent a lot of the second half constantly angry at the midfield for not moving enough to allow him to pass to a red shirt.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7
Didn’t take him long to have an impact, crossing to win the penalty when a hand blocked it. Then also fizzed through two magnificent passes from deep to open up Atalanta’s defence.
Also got caught on the ball at the back which was almost costly. We didn’t get too much from him after the restart and he was subbed on 70 as his recovery continues.
Ibrahima Konate – 7
Looked more assured and focused than he has done in his last few outings. Won the battle in the channel when he needed to, had speed in the recovery and did fairly well against Scamacca’s massive bulk aerially.
Virgil van Dijk – 7
A dislocated finger early on was an annoyance; his mis-kicked 60-yard volley was ludicrous. Those two things almost made him look human in the first half.
Defended fine after the break, only really called upon twice to make significant interceptions and did so without much fuss. If only he connected better with that 60-yard half-volley, hey…
Andy Robertson – 6
Some good overlapping runs and sent himself infield on plenty of occasions as the Reds sought to create space, but the one-twos didn’t always come off.
No real danger from his crosses though and set-piece delivery was pretty poor throughout.
Alexis Mac Allister – 7 – Man of the Match
Saw plenty of the ball in deep areas as Atalanta allowed Liverpool to hold play in their own half. Sometimes that was fine, as Alexis was able to raise the tempo and find passes between the lines. Other times it was just having our best player miles from anywhere dangerous.
Defensively fine, did enough to cover the back four and protect the channels.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 5
Occasionally looks impactful when speeding into space, but his end product and decisions have not been great recently. Combined nicely in the right channel at times but looks well off his early-season best.
We’ve needed more from him in the final third of the season and, to be frank, we haven’t seen it.
Curtis Jones – 6
Another who was more endeavour than eventual output. Some good recoveries and held his ground in the middle, but the quick passing side of his game wasn’t there and he wasn’t an attacking threat.
Mohamed Salah – 5
Barely had a touch before he got to take a penalty – buried it bottom corner. Should have had his second before the break when through on goal and lobbed the keeper… but sent it wide.
A couple of almost moments after the restart but ultimately held onto the ball too long or failed to turn sharply enough.
Cody Gakpo – 6
Showed good power and determination a few times in the first half and linked nicely with both forwards around him – showed good mobility with the positional rotation on show.
Shifted further and further back downfield as the subs came on; the best of the forwards who started but he ended up as a faux-left wing-back.
Luis Diaz – 6
Another hit-and-miss night for the Colombian. Some really good work rate and movement off the ball, but never really looked in the running to add to the scoresheet.
Involved in the buildup to the penalty and the handball which could have been a red card outside the box, but otherwise thwarted.
Substitutes
Diogo Jota (on for Szoboszlai, 66′) – 5 – Barely had a sniff. Certainly we didn’t give him the chance on goal he’s capable of taking.
Harvey Elliott (on for Salah, 66′) – 5 – Has often brought energy and speed of play off the bench, but not tonight.
Darwin Nunez (on for Diaz, 66′) – 4 – A really poor showing off the bench. Lost possession, went to ground easily, offered no link play.
Joe Gomez (on for Alexander-Arnold, 72′) – 6 – Not a lot good, not a lot bad. Safe, solid, went nowhere.
Jayden Danns (on for Robertson, 79′) – 6 – A European debut. Ran about but rarely on the ball in the final third. Should have been used more in recent weeks.
Subs not used: Kelleher, Adrian, Quansah, Tsimikas, Endo, Gravenberch, Clark
Jurgen Klopp – 5
Lost the tactical battle against Gian Piero Gasperini in both legs.
Despite the mountain left to climb, Klopp decided the challenge was a worthwhile one and went with a full-strength side in Bergamo.
Looked like he might have had a point in the first 20 minutes or so, but beyond that we ran out of ideas and intensity, and just looked to have no real energy in the second half – even after five changes during the match, half the team.
Lots of encouragement for his players from the sidelines but not an awful lot from the boss this time in terms of tactical ideas to change things around, beyond like-for-like subs and then throwing Danns up top late on.
We kept defensively tight as he wanted, but the invention just isn’t there in attack right now.
Sadly, Klopp’s final game with the Reds will not be a cup final – now it’s all about trying to restore form in the league and see if we get a lucky break there.
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