Liverpool were left stunned at Anfield after a shock 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
Jürgen Klopp made the substitutions just before kick-off, but they almost immediately backfired as his side had Caoimhin Kelleher to thank for a stunning close-range save from Mario Pasalic.
The Reds were far from their best and Gianluca Scamacca gave his side a deserved opener, although his effort squirmed through Kelleher’s hands.
Despite a three-way substitution at half-time, Liverpool failed to recover and Scamacca doubled Atalanta’s lead after more poor defending, before Mario Pasalic added a third to send the Italian side into dreamland ahead of next week’s second leg in Bergamo .
Here, Mail Sport’s WILL PICKWORTH has rated the players…
Atalanta stunned Liverpool at Anfield in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final
It was a dreadful evening for Jurgen Klopp as his side put in a dismal display and lost 3-0
Your browser does not support iframes.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3)
Caoimhin Kelleher – A stunning stop from Pasalic early on, but Kelleher was at fault for the first goal when he let Scamacca’s shot squirm through his hands. Made some good saves afterwards, although his parry ended up at Pasalic’s feet for Atalanta’s third goal. 5
Joe Gomes – Lacked his usual composure on the right and didn’t know whether he was coming or going when dealing with Atalanta’s split attackers as the Italian side continually fell behind. Wasteful on the attack. 5.5
Ibrahima Konate – Struggled to deal with a dangerous attacking trio and was responsible for Scamacca’s second goal, playing De Ketelaere onside before leaving the former West Ham flop in acres of space. 6
Virgil van Dijk Surprisingly unstable, with Serie A continually cutting Liverpool open as the Reds falter in front of their opponents’ press. He also headed over a good chance on a corner. 6
Kostas Tsimikas – Exposed on his first start since February, with Zappacosta and Koopmeiners causing him all kinds of problems while he was well out of position in the build-up to Scamacca’s first goal. Crocheted during half time. 5.5
Kostas Tsimikas struggled in his first start since February and was hooked at half-time
Virgil van Dijk and defensive partner Ibrahima Konate were surprisingly different for the Reds
Joe Gomez lacked his usual composure and struggled to deal with Atalanta’s attackers
Wataru Endo -Failed to provide the defensive screening he has done for most of the season. One of a number of Liverpool stars who were out of character at Anfield. 6
Alexis MacAllister – A strong contender for Liverpool’s Player of the Season, but the Argentinian had one of his quietest nights in a Reds shirt. 6
Curtis Jones – A nice ball to create a chance for Nunez, and took some good positions on the inside left channel. Maybe a hard substitution at half time. 7
Harvey Elliott – He was unlucky not to score after his curling effort hit the post and crossbar, although he failed to capitalize on his chances from the start. 6.5
Darwin Nunez – Missed a golden chance to make it 0-0 when he should have gone past Musso before bursting into the penalty area in the second half. Nunez needs to improve in front of goal if he wants to reach the next level. 5
Cody Gakpo -Caused occasional problems when attacking from the left, as the Dutch striker showed signs of his usual self, but was unable to generate a comeback for his side. 6
Darwin Nunez was wasteful in attack and squandered two good chances either side of half-time
Mohamed Salah failed to inspire Liverpool as he came off the bench and had a goal disallowed
REPLACEMENTS
Muhammad Salah (for Harvey Elliott, 45 mins) – He finished well for his disallowed goal, but should not have been offside. Two more good chances were squandered and not even Liverpool’s talisman could inspire them on this grim evening. 6
Andy Robertson (for Kostas Tsimikas, 45 mins) – A bright spark for Liverpool as he sparked from the left and played a beautiful ball for Salah’s disallowed goal. 6.5
Dominik Szoboszlai (for Curtis Jones, 45 mins) – He looked to add energy but made a terrible mistake for Atalanta’s third which could prove crucial in the tie. Also lets miss a good opportunity. 5
Luis Diaz (for Darwin Nunez, 60 mins) – Struggled to get into the game, although he tested Musso with one chance. 5.5
Diogo Jota (for Endo, 75 mins) – A welcome sight to see Jota on the pitch for the first time since February, but introduced too late to have an impact on this match. 5.5
Subs not used: Adrian, Quansah, Bradley, Alexander-Arnold, Bajcetic, Clark, Gravenberch
Booked: No
Scorers: No
It was a special night for Atalanta, with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side putting in a stunning performance
Atalanta (4-3-1-2): Musso 7: Zappacosta 8.5, Djimsiti 6, Hien 6, Ederson 6; Ruggeri 6, de Roon 7, Pasalić 7.5; Koopmeiners 6.5; Scamacca 8.5, De Ketelaere 7 (Miranchuk 89)
Subs not used: Toloi, Holm, Toure, Lookman, Bakker, Adopo, Carnesecchi, Rossi, Hateboer, Bonfanti
Booked: Hi, Ruggeri
Scorers: Scamacca 38 + 60, Pasalić 83
