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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had no regrets about the team’s bet that failed in the 2-0 Champions League loss to Atalanta and insisted he would do it again.
The Reds’ hopes of advancing to the round of 16 early were dashed when Klopp’s bet fell through in a “deserved loss” on Wednesday night.
Liverpool made five changes from Sunday’s win over Leicester, including altering three of their four defenses, and paid for it with a lack of cohesion and pace that allowed last season’s quarter-finals to become the first team to win at Anfield in 90 minutes from Chelsea in September 2018.
Liverpool remain in control of their own destiny in Group D of the Champions League
Josip Ilicic scores the first goal at 60 for Atalanta
Klopp said: “We made five changes, it was very important that we did it, and in the end it didn’t work out and that’s part of the deal.
“(We didn’t have) a real rhythm, the first half was not a good match at all, they weren’t good either. We talked about it but the second half didn’t seem like it (would change) and that’s why we changed early.
“A second before we could change (Klopp was in the process of making a quadruple change) they scored the first goal, in a space that we knew they were trying to use and that we couldn’t defend at the time.
“We had better football moments, but not good enough. If you don’t have a shot on goal, that’s never a good sign.”
Liverpool lost a competitive home game by a margin of more than one goal for the first time in 137 games at Anfield with Klopp, with this his biggest loss since August 2015 in the Premier League against West Ham with Brendan Rodgers, a 3 -0 loss.
Liverpool manager Klopp refused to get carried away
Winning over Ajax next week would still guarantee a safe pass and with the December schedule Klopp will want to avoid the nightmare scenario of having something to play on with the final game against Midtjylland.
“If I thought like that, it would be great. It’s complicated, it sounds easy to beat Ajax, but with all the challenges we face in this country in addition to the normal challenges we already face.”
“My concern is not that I think about Ajax; in a few hours we are going to play Brighton. When this game ends, we start thinking about Ajax.”
Rhys Williams and Andrew Robertson look shocked at the final whistle
Even the return of Mohamed Salah was unable to bring the team out of its slumber, as second-half goals from Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens ensured that Klopp had little room to rest the players in his last two matches.
Winning over Ajax next week would still guarantee a safe pass and with the December schedule Klopp will want to avoid the nightmare scenario of having something to play on with the final game against Midtjylland.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, whose team was beaten 5-0 in the reverse game three weeks ago, hailed the victory as the club’s most prestigious.
Papu Gómez inspired his team to a memorable victory against Liverpool
“Obviously this is something that will be written on the pages of history,” he said.
“They have not lost a Premier League game in 64 games. This is perhaps our biggest victory in our history, certainly the most prestigious.
“We were more solid on defense this time because the defense was better protected with more players in midfield. This is the solution we opted for because we thought it was appropriate for this game.”
Whats Next?
Liverpool will travel to face Brighton at Amex Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League; start 12.30 pm. They return to Champions League action when they host Ajax on Tuesday, December 1; start 8pm.
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