Liverpool 0-2 Atalanta: 5 talking points as drab Reds suffer Champions League defeat

Second-half goals from Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens saw Atalanta sink Liverpool in a 2-0 defeat at home in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The Serie A team claimed their revenge for their 5-0 beating by the Reds earlier this month with two quick goals at the hour mark.

Papu Gomez played a key role in creating both opportunities, while Liverpool lacked a similar creative force in the absence of key personnel in midfield and on the wing.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah struggled to impact the game on his return from the coronavirus, while Liverpool’s front row as a whole failed to knock down its visitors and the Reds failed to get a shot on goal.

Here are five talking points from a game that leaves Group D in the balance.

1. Quick goals stun the hosts

On a night when Liverpool failed to register a shot on goal, the Reds were cut off by two incisive moves from Atalanta in the 60th minute.

Papu Gomez was the creative force behind the visitors’ two goals. For the former, he directed a sumptuous ball to the back post for Josip Ilicic to hit.

And four minutes later, the Argentine threw the ball back to the back post, where Hans Hateboer was present to knock down for Robin Gosens to score.

The goals were moments of quality and avant-garde in a match in which both had been lacking up to that point, and they were enough to see the Italian club avenge their 5-0 win on the last day.

Surprisingly, Atalanta outshot their hosts 8-4 and had four shots on target. Not many teams come to Anfield and emerge with most of the opportunities.

2. Salah neglected in Firmino’s absence

It’s fair to say that Mohamed Salah’s first 45 minutes of soccer since he returned from his fortnight outcast by the coronavirus weren’t the best.

As is often the case when a superstar returns from injury or illness, however long or short he has been away, the focus was on the Egyptian at Anfield.

Salah’s usual grip as glue on the ball was missing from his opening touches, as he nearly landed Liverpool in hot water with a low cross defense pass in the opening minutes.

The 28-year-old then ended the first half by shooting over the bar with his weak foot from a promising position.

Salah was not alone in his unusual carelessness; Sadio Mané, unusually calm, blew a golden opportunity to play Salah from behind on the right flank by cutting off his pass, while Divock Origi was too heavy when few chances were presented.

Perhaps Salah was shaking off the cobwebs after his quarantine period in his homeland. Maybe it was a bad day for Mane and Origi’s backing.

But perhaps Liverpool were crying out for the man who so often arms their attack and, to use Jurgen Klopp’s phrase, plays “12 different instruments” in the Liverpool orchestra; Roberto Firmino.

It was no surprise to see Salah and Origi fold and Firmino stepped into the hour mark, immediately after Atalanta took the lead, although a second rapid-fire goal brought the Reds down.

3. How did the youth do?

As pointed out chooseLiverpool became the first team since Arsenal in 2009 to name three British teenagers in their starting eleven for a Champions League match.

Curtis Jones, Rhys Williams and Neco Williams, all 19 years old, have been pushed into first-team action sooner than expected due to the Reds’ much-publicized injury problems.

But how did you fare on a Champions League night at Anfield against a challenging Italian rival?

Starting with Rhys Williams, the center back impressed with his layout and looked largely comfortable between left-back Kostas Tsimikas and fellow defensive back Joel Matip. However, there were multiple occasions where he was dragged out of position and caught taking a nap when Atalanta scored his second of the night.

On the right back, Williams was solid enough defensively but, like Tsimikas, was reluctant to commit to the flank runs that Trent Alexander-Arnold embarks on so often. While no one expects Williams to match the creative abilities of England international Liverpool.

And in central midfield, Jones was hardworking but, along with Gini Wijnaldum and James Milner, failed to provide the spark needed to unlock a stubborn defense.

4. Minamino omitted

Takumi Minamino may be beginning to wonder what he needs to do to earn a spot in Liverpool’s starting eleven.

The Japan striker started the season promisingly with a goal in the Community Shield and a double in the Carabao Cup.

But even as Roberto Firmino struggled to get in shape and the injuries mounted, Minamino remained on the bench.

Against Atalanta, and with nine points already secured in Group D, many expected him to get the nod, especially when Jurgen Klopp promised that Minamino’s “time would come” before the game.

But the 25-year-old, who was not introduced until the 85th minute, settled once again for a seat on the bench and his wait to make his full mark at Anfield continues.

5. Group D branches

The victory at Anfield would have been enough for Liverpool to close the classification to the round of 16.

But the loss combined with Ajax’s win over Midtjylland means that Jurgen Klopp’s men still can’t lift the pedal in Europe.

They host Ajax next Tuesday after securing a 1-0 win against the Dutch giants last month and travel to Midtjylland the following week.

While the only win needed to guarantee qualification still looks likely, Klopp will be frustrated that he didn’t get the job done at Anfield, where Liverpool are unbeaten in 64 Premier League games, with the hectic holiday schedule looming.

With players like Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Gini Wijnaldum starting, Klopp sent an XI capable of getting the job done.

But a rare day off, combined with determined and impressive opposition, kept the Reds from reserving their place in the knockout stages for now.

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