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Qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League was the prize for Liverpool, but getting some rest for the Premier League trip to Brighton on Saturday was clearly a priority for Jürgen Klopp as well. He made the changes to Atalanta and lost, as Liverpool suffered their first home defeat in the group stage of the competition since losing 3-0 to Real Madrid just over six years ago.
Atalanta, humiliated at home when the teams last met each other, marked coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s 200th match at the helm with a well-deserved victory that reinforces his own prospects for group qualification. Two goals in rapid succession in the second half, both created from the crossing of captain Alejandro Gómez, punctured Liverpool’s winning streak at Anfield this season.
Appropriately, after a moment of silence for the late and great Diego Maradona, an Argentine No.10 from Buenos Aires began the process. The man in question, Atalanta Gomez captain, was heavily involved in a determined start for a visiting team trying to make up for the 5-0 humiliation in Bergamo three weeks ago.
They must have also gleaned the motivation from the team sheet when it landed before the start. Klopp had made five changes to the Liverpool side that beat Leicester here on Sunday. Mohamed Salah returned after his self-isolation from Covid-19, but Klopp’s selection was clearly with the early start of Saturday in Brighton in mind.
Neco Williams and Rhys Williams, two of the three teenagers on the Liverpool squad along with Curtis Jones, were involved in defense, summer signing Kostas Tsimikas replaced Andy Robertson on the left back and Divock Origi had a rare opportunity to impress as center forward.
As a consequence, Liverpool’s performance in the first half lacked fluidity or control, although no mitigating factors appeared when it came to Klopp. The Liverpool manager chided his players for the first 45 minutes and ran through the tunnel as soon as the halftime whistle blew, preparing for some truths at home.
A clean sheet at least offered Liverpool something to build on in the second half. And the contest desperately needed something. The hosts had a shot at Atalanta’s goal in the first half. It took him 44 minutes to get there and went high over Pierluigi Gollini’s crossbar from Salah’s right boot after James Milner, Jones and Tsimikas combined to take a Liverpool free kick into the penalty area.
Salah created the first chance of the game, but with a whimsical pass through his own half that fell directly to Atalanta forward Josip Ilicic. The Slovenian international had room to attack Rhys Williams and cut in with his left foot, but his effort was diverted.
Robin Gosens came much closer to opening the scoring for the Italians when he was thrown down the left by a high ball just off Cristian Romero’s defense. With no one rushing into the Liverpool area, Gosens chose to do it alone with a bold and powerful push towards Alisson’s near post. The Brazilian goalkeeper made sure he wasn’t caught with a late reaction save.
Gomez drove a meter wide from the edge of the area after Neco Williams had been dispossessed and Ilicic embarrassed himself with a dive, trying to win a penalty, after Georginio Wijnaldum tickled his arm. The great striker screamed in agony after a brush of Wijnaldum’s fingertips. Neither the referee nor the VAR were scammed.
Klopp gave his much-changed side a chance to improve in the second half, but by the 13th minute he had seen enough. Four substitutes lined up to enter in the 58th minute, but as Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, Fabinho and Robertson warmed up on the touchline, Atalanta broke the deadlock.
Gomez, the most creative talent on display, was at the center of it all, throwing a delicious cross from the left after the visitors had patiently built the game down midfield. Ilicic, perfectly reading his captain’s intention, slipped behind the Liverpool defense to convert on the volley.
The four Liverpool substitutes arrived, but there was no immediate impact. They were still making their way into the game when Atalanta struck again, and from a similar source. Gomez launched another compelling cross from the left, Hans Hateboer headed in and Gosens arrived unmarked to beat Alisson with a controlled volley from 10 meters.
