Liverpool started this season as favourites to win the Europa League, however that dream got here to an finish within the quarter-finals on Thursday evening.
The Reds may need received 1-0 in opposition to Atalanta in Italy, however the Serie A facet had already carried out the harm with a 3-0 margin of victory within the first leg at Anfield every week earlier.
Mohamed Salah’s early penalty gave Liverpool the proper begin and hope of mounting a comeback. However that was finally nearly as good because it obtained for Jurgen Klopp’s crew, who lacked the power and struggle to match Atalanta’s superior dedication.
Utilizing 90min‘s participant rankings as a information, who have been Liverpool’s finest and worst gamers on the evening?
Alisson – 8/10
Provided that Livepool as a complete underwhelmed and disillusioned, this was not precisely a excessive bar. Alisson wasn’t tremendous busy in purpose however he did make a handful of saves at numerous factors that a minimum of ensured his teammates nonetheless had an opportunity of getting again into the tie.
With out the Brazilian, issues would have been over lengthy earlier than they really have been.
Honourable point out
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7/10
With lower than one half of soccer beneath his belt since recovering from harm, Trent Alexander-Arnold made his first begin in additional than two months and clocked up 72 minutes.
That in itself is essential as Liverpool gear thus far put all their deal with the Premier League title race, particularly with Conor Bradley out of the blue dominated out till early Could. However the No.66 was additionally an honest inventive outlet on the fitting flank and in midfield that was misplaced when he was withdrawn.
Mohamed Salah – 5/10
Mohamed Salah scored with out downside from the penalty spot simply 12 minutes into the sport, but it surely wasn’t that which outlined his evening. Often so ruthlessly efficient, the Egyptian celebrity wasn’t on the races and arguably hasn’t been consistenly good since an harm on the Africa Cup of Nations.
There was a insecurity and sharpness from Salah, who was tellingly substituted with round half an hour (together with stoppage time) to play when Liverpool wanted a minimum of two extra targets. His single worst second got here when Cody Gakpo performed him in excessive and an attemped lob over the onrushing goalkeeper was skewed harmlessly broad. For him, it ought to have been fairly simple.
Dishonourable point out
Alexis Mac Allister – 5/10
It wasn’t that Alexis Mac Allister was dangerous per se, Atalanta simply did a extremely good job of stopping him from being influential on the coronary heart of Liverpool’s midfield.
The hosts labored tirelessly to stress Liverpool gamers on the ball, denying the likes of Mac Allister the chance to select passes by way of the traces to create possibilities. The Argentine was usually compelled to go backwards or sideways simply to maintain the ball, or to ship it lengthy ineffectively.
