Liverpool 0-3 Atalanta: Home leg bottled – first Anfield loss in 14 months

Liverpool followed up their 2-2 draw with Man United with a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta, their first at Anfield in 14 months and a huge Europa League setback.

Liverpool 0-3 Atalanta

Europa League Quarter-Final 1st Leg, Anfield
April 11, 2024

Goals

Scamacca 38′
Scamacca 60′
Pasalic 83′

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With six changes to Jurgen Klopp‘s lineup, it was a mixed start for Liverpool, and Atalanta almost drew first blood as a huge Caoimhin Kelleher save denied a certain goal from Mario Pasalic.

Cody Gakpo looked his sharpest in a long time, though, and his ability to drive forward with the ball laid on one of a number of early chances for the hosts as Darwin Nunez tested Juan Musso.

An even better opportunity for Nunez came from Curtis Jones‘ through ball, but one-on-one with the goalkeeper the Uruguayan toe-punted it wide.

Standing in for Mo Salah on the right flank, Harvey Elliott came close to an opener the Egyptian would have been proud of, cutting onto his left foot and bending an effort that struck the bar, then the post, and bounced away off the turf.

Atalanta delivered enough warnings before their opener, with the goal coming from former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca, who was free for a first-time finish in the box which somehow squeezed through Kelleher.

The half-time whistle blew with TNT Sports commentator Steve McManaman asking “where’s Tsimikas?!” after Kelleher denied Teun Koopmeiners when one-on-one, which summed up both the Greek’s and Liverpool’s dismal start.

HT: Liverpool 0-1 Atalanta

Klopp had seen enough and the side that emerged from the break included Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai and Salah, replacing Tsimikas, Jones and Elliott.

There was no change in Nunez’s struggle in front of goal, though, with the striker again firing off target after a smart cutback from Gakpo on the left byline – off the No. 9 went on the hour.

Atalanta then went 2-0 up through the clinical Scamacca, who was completely unmarked in the box with Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate sleeping, finishing expertly on the volley.

There was no urgency or invention from Liverpool despite going two goals down at home, which forced Klopp to turn to Diogo Jota and switch to a 4-2-4.

Salah had the ball in the net as a brilliant move freed Robertson, but the linesman’s flag was rightly raised with the No. 11 just offside.

Then Pasalic capped it at the other end, pouncing on the loose ball after Kelleher stopped Ederson to make it 3-0 and pour misery on Liverpool, with their first Anfield loss since being battered 5-2 by Real Madrid in February 2023.

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TIA Man of the Match: Harvey Elliott

Referee: Halil Umut Meler (TUR)

Liverpool: Kelleher; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Robertson 46′); Endo (Jota 75′), Mac Allister, Jones (Szoboszlai 46′); Elliott (Salah 46′), Gakpo, Nunez (Diaz 60′)

Subs not used: Adrian, Bradley, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Gravenberch, Clark, Bajcetic

Atalanta: Musso, Zappacosta, Hien, Gjimshiti, De Roon, Ruggeri, Pasalic, Ederson, Koopmeiners, De Ketelaere (Miranchuk 89′), Scamacca

Subs not used: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Toloi, Holm, Bakker, Hateboer, Bonfanti, Adopo, Toure, Lookman

Next match: Crystal Palace (H) – Premier League – Sunday, April 14, 2pm (BST)