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Much-changed Liverpool were stunned by Serie A’s sixth-placed side Atalanta at Anfield, as the Italians cruised to a 3-0 first-leg lead in their Europa League quarter-final tie.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were indebted to their goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in the first half for a string of superb stops, including one with his face, but he could do nothing about the onslaught that followed.
Mario Pasalic had a glorious opportunity to stun The Kop in the third minute as he drew a wonderful, sprawling save from Kelleher, before the floodgates opened in the 38th minute.
Gianluca Scamacca peeled off Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk centrally, applying a cool first-time finish to Davide Zappacosta’s low cross. “We were wide open,” said Van Dijk after the final whistle. A frank admission.
Liverpool’s lacklustre defence again went missing as Scamacca scored his second on the hour mark – after Klopp had introduced Mo Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Andy Robertson from the bench – side-footing Charles De Ketelaere’s delivery beyond Kelleher.
The collapse was complete in the 84th minute when Szoboszlai lost the ball softly in midfield, freeing Ederson, before Pasalic atoned for his earlier miss by tapping into an empty net from Kelleher’s poor parry.
Furious Klopp bellowed and waved his arms as he called on fans to lift the flat Anfield atmosphere, but this was Atalanta’s night – the Reds’ hopes of making May’s Dublin showpiece are now in serious jeopardy.
Source: SkySports