Liverpool can reach a European milestone with a win over Atalanta, as Jurgen Klopp looks to overtake Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley in one respect.
The Reds trade Premier League duties for Europa League commitments on Thursday evening, hosting Atalanta in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
Liverpool are seeking their 250th European win in all competitions, so victory at Anfield would see yet another impressive club milestone reached.
Should the Reds progress, Klopp would set a new Liverpool record of five European semi-finals as manager, exceeding the four of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.
Liverpool need five more goals to record 550 at Anfield under the German.
Scoring for fun but clean sheets an issue
Liverpool have scored more goals in the Europa League this season than any other team – they have netted 28 times, with Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen both on 24.
The Reds have failed to score in only one of the last 59 matches in all competitions, at home to Man United last December.
They have found the net in each of the last 24 matches in league and cup.
In all competitions, Klopp’s side have won 26 and drawn three of 29 matches when scoring the game’s first goal.
Liverpool have not kept a clean sheet in the last seven matches, since a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest last month.
Can Reds extend semi-final record?
This is Liverpool’s 28th European quarter-final and they will be looking to reach a 21st semi-final, which would extend their British record.
Man United are next-best with 18 semi-final appearances. Meanwhile, the last of seven teams to knock Liverpool out at this stage were Real Madrid in 2021.
At Anfield, Liverpool have played 55 first-leg ties, winning 44, drawing eight and losing three, with the losses coming against Leeds (1970/71), Chelsea (2008/09) and Real Madrid (2022/23).
A mixed record against Italian sides
Liverpool have met Italian clubs 17 times at Anfield, winning 10, drawing one and losing six.
Four of those victories have been in the last six.
Home and away, the Reds have won 18 and lost 17 of their 39 Anglo-Italian clashes – they have lost 10 of the last 23 meetings with Italian clubs, winning 11.
Not to be taken lightly
Away in Europe, Atalanta have lost only one of their last 10 fixtures, away to Man United in the 2021/22 Champions League group stage, going down 3-2.
They are unbeaten in their last 10 away Europa League fixtures since a 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in 2018.
This season, Atalanta topped their group, accumulating 14 points, with four wins and two draws in a group containing Sporting CP, Sturm Graz and Rakow Czestochowa.
In the last 16, they faced Ruben Amorim’s Sporting again, winning 3-2 on aggregate.
This season’s scorers
Liverpool: Salah 23, Nunez 18, Gakpo 14, Jota 14, Diaz 13, Szoboszlai 7, Mac Allister 6,
Jones 5, van Dijk 4, Elliott 3, Gravenberch 3, Alexander-Arnold 2, Danns 2, Endo 2, Bradley 1, Clark 1, Koumas 1, Quansah 1, Robertson 1, own goals 6
Atalanta: Koopmeiners 13, Scamacca 11, De Ketelaere 10, Lookman 9, Ederson 6, Muriel 6, Miranchuk 4, Pasalic 4, Zappacosta 2, Bakker 1, Bonfanti 1, Djimsiti 1, Holm 1, Kolasinac 1, Ruggeri 1, Scalvini 1, Toure 1, Zapata 1, Zortea 1
* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
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