Liverpool suffered a shocking 3-0 defeat at the hands of Atalanta in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Quarter-Final. Despite having a home advantage, the Reds had no answer to Atalanta’s rampant attack. They now face a three-goal deficit and will need a special performance if they want to move to the Semi-Final.
However, Jurgen Klopp’s men come into the game on the back of a disappointing loss to Crystal Palace. The 1-0 loss at Anfield means that they are now two points behind leaders Manchester City in the standings. That is a tough challenge on its own, but Liverpool have to move their attention to the Europa League game today as Atalanta has a comfortable three-goal cushion to rely on.
Liverpool have had previous heartbreaks in the Europa League
This is not the first time that Liverpool are playing in the Europa League. The Reds have competed in the competition and even won the trophy three times when it was called the UEFA Cup. However, since the competition got named as the Europa League, the Scousers have not been able to lift the trophy. They came close in Jurgen Klopp’s first season in charge. He led the side to the Final, but they came up short and suffered a 3-1 defeat to Sevilla.
The team’s tremendous Europa League run during the 2015-16 season was a sign of the great things that Jurgen Klopp was going to bring to the club. It only seems fitting for him to inspire the Reds to a miracle win over Atalanta and then help them win the trophy in his final season as manager.
Liverpool will need Mo Salah to be at his best
Mo Salah’s lacklustre performance seemed to affect Liverpool as they failed to score in their last two games. He is one of the best wingers in the world and has the ability to turn the game around on his own. The Egyptian has been called out by a few fans for his recent performances. He will be looking to regain their faith and put on a show in this second-leg game against Atalanta. They also have played like Cody Gapko, Darwin Nunez and Luiz Diaz who could prove to be a goal threat against the Italian side.
The team have been fantastic this season and produced some great performances in crucial situations. The Reds have had some great comebacks in Europe and will need another one if they want to move ahead in the Europa League.
