Liverpool vs Atalanta LIVE: Europa League result and reaction as hosts crash to shock 3-0 defeat
The Reds hope to take control of their quarter-final tie when they take on the Serie A side at Anfield.
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Liverpool host Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie at Anfield this evening. Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour continues with the Reds having dipped into second place in the Premier League following a 2-2 draw with Manchester United at the weekend.
Now, Liverpool are tasked with excelling in Europe’s second competition where they are one of the favourites to win the trophy after a strong group stage. The Reds won four of their six matches and finished top of Group E setting up a round of 16 clash with Sparta Prague.
The Czech side were no match for Klopp’s positive side and slumped to an 11-2 aggregate defeat over the two legs with Liverpool netting six at Anfield back in March. If they can replicate those performances Liverpool have the chance to put one foot in the semi-finals when they take on Atalanta tonight. The Italian side sit in sixth in Serie A having won just two of their last nine games.
Follow all the action from Anfield plus get the latest Europa League odds and tips right here:
Prediction
Despite their recent struggles, the away side will be excited to test themselves at one of football’s most famous venues. Liverpool’s home advantage and superior firepower means they should be able to win comfortably though, even if Jurgen Klopp opts for several changes to his starting eleven. Liverpool 3-1 Atalanta.
Predicted XIs
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Konate, Gomez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Elliott, Nunez, Gakpo.
Atalanta XI: Carnesecchi; Toloi, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Hateboer, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta; Koopmeiners; Scamacca, Lookman.
More team news
Liverpool could welcome Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold back in time for this game - all three have returned to training and Jurgen Klopp did not rule them out of being involved.
Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones could all start after being put on the bench for Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United – Jurgen Klopp may want to rest players such as Virgil van Dijk, Wataru Endo and Mohamed Salah ahead of the Premier League title run-in.
For the away side, former Everton forward Ademola Lookman may continue in the line-up alongside ex-West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca. Promising young defender Giorgio Scalvini misses out due to a muscle injury.
Ruben Amorim reveals extent of Liverpool talks
Despite the links, Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim has insisted he has not been interviewed by Liverpool, let alone reached a verbal agreement to take over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.
The 39-year-old Portuguese has emerged as a candidate to move to Anfield, especially when Xabi Alonso, who had been seen as the favourite, decided he was going to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another season.
Liverpool are doing their due diligence into a number of options and have yet to identify their preferred choice while Amorim rebuffed reports in his home country and in Germany that he has accepted a deal by saying he is yet to speak to the Merseyside club.
Ruben Amorim rejects talk of Liverpool interview to replace Jurgen Klopp
The Sporting CP head coach is among the candidates to take over at Anfield in summer
Who is Ruben Amorim? The Sporting CP manager rumoured to be frontrunner for Liverpool job
Although Liverpool thoughts are firmly on the upcoming weeks in the title race and Europe, some attention is turning to the question of who will succeed Jurgen Klopp.
Ruben Amorim has emerged as the leading candidate for a host of Europe’s top clubs this summer, with Liverpool reportedly verbally agreeing a deal in principle for the highly-rated Sporting CP manager.
Amorim, 39, is now the frontrunner to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Read more on the Portuguese below.
Who is Ruben Amorim? The Sporting CP manager who is the frontrunner for Liverpool job
Amorim, 39, is on the radar of a number of European clubs after his successful stint at Sporting Lisbon
WATCH: Liverpool boss Klopp warns ‘only great teams left in Europa League’ ahead of Atalanta clash
Jurgen Klopp has warned that there are “only great teams left in Europa League” ahead of Liverpool’s clash against Atalanta.
Their quarter-final opponents sit sixth in the Serie A table and put out Sporting Lisbon in the previous round - but have won only two of their last nine matches.
Pep Guardiola described playing the Bergamo-based side as like going to the dentist in 2019, and long-serving manager Gian Piero Gasperini remains in charge.
“There are now only great teams left in the competition,” Klopp said ahead of kick-off.
“It’s really outstanding and we know what Atalanta are all about.”
Klopp warns ‘only great teams left in Europa League’ ahead of Atalanta clash
Jurgen Klopp has warned that there are “only great teams left in Europa League” ahead of Liverpool’s clash against Atalanta. Their quarter-final opponents sit sixth in the Serie A table and put out Sporting Lisbon in the previous round - but have won only two of their last nine matches. Pep Guardiola described playing the Bergamo-based side as like going to the dentist in 2019, and long-serving manager Gian Piero Gasperini remains in charge. “There are now only great teams left in the competition,” Klopp said ahead of kick-off. “It’s really outstanding and we know what Atalanta are all about.”
Europa League just part of the journey - Jurgen Klopp restored Liverpool to Europe’s elite
Jurgen Klopp has a tendency to mythologise, to both create and burnish a legend. His skill set has rarely seemed to include search-engine algorithms but in 2018 he declared: “If you had Google and put in ‘European nights’ the answer must be: Anfield. That’s really cool.” He is almost right. Google “great European nights” and Anfield features prominently. That is part of Klopp’s legacy.
There may only be two European nights left at Anfield for him; perhaps Atalanta on Thursday will prove the last, with no semi-final against Benfica or Marseille to follow. There may be no more that cross the barrier into greatness. And yet Klopp will leave Liverpool as the manager who restored the unforgettable European evenings to their fixture list. As with much else he has done at Anfield, he took a historic institution, updated it, added his personal touch, and made Liverpool seem the place to be again.
Read Richard Jolly’s preview piece on Jurgen Klopp’s influence in restoring Liverpool’s European pedigree.
Europa League just part of the journey - Klopp restored Liverpool to Europe’s elite
The Reds were at risk of being a yesteryear club on the continent but could soon reach a fifth Uefa final in nine years
Liverpool set to welcome back key trio for Europa League clash
Some early teams news before tonight’s game.
Jurgen Klopp has not ruled out Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker being involved in Liverpool’s Europa League quarter-final against Atalanta on Thursday.
All three have been sidelined by injury since February but have returned to training and look set to contribute to Liverpool’s push for silverware over the closing weeks of the season.
Teenage midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, who has been out since September, is also back in training but is likely to have to wait a little longer for a first-team return.
“Obviously we didn’t rush it with the boys,” said Klopp. “That means they did a lot of training by themselves. Diogo and Trent worked as a group since two, three weeks and could do really proper training. It was very good yesterday.”
Liverpool set to welcome back key trio for Europa League clash
Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker have been out since February but could face Atalanta on Thursday night
Liverpool vs Atalanta tips: Europa League predictions, football odds & free bets
The Europa League now represents Jurgen Klopp’s best chance to sign off from Liverpool with another trophy. Football betting sites have the Reds priced at 23/10 to win the Premier League following their disappointing 2-2 draw at Manchester United, but they are evens at best to win this competition and odds-on in most places.
The winners will face either Benfica or Marseille in the semi-final, leaving second favourites in the Europa League odds Bayer Leverkusen lurking in the other half of the draw.
Atalanta won their only previous visit to the red half of Merseyside 2-0, in 2020, though the pandemic meant that the game took place behind closed doors.
Liverpool have won 22 and drawn three of their 25 matches at Anfield in 2023/24, with an aggregate score line of 78-21. Betting sites make them no bigger than 1/3 to win the first leg.
A draw is priced at 19/4, with an away win at 17/2.
Liverpool vs Atalanta tips: Europa League predictions, football odds & free bets
Liverpool are firm favourites for Thursday's quarter-final first leg against Atalanta at Anfield
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