I almost forgot this match was happening. Or maybe I just wanted to forget. We’ve seen Jurgen Klopp Liverpool sides overturn a 3-0 deficit, and under worse conditions against better teams, but being away form Anfield is going to make this a biSomething something. Line up.
Let’s go Reds or something. Liverpool get a penalty just 5 minutes in, after Trent sends in a cross, hitting the defender’s outstretched arm on the way. It’s the most obvious penalty call since the one against Spurs in the Champions League Final. Mo steps up and sends the keeper the wrong way. The Reds find a lifeline early! Despite the early boost, the home side has done well to make sure that not much of note happens for the vast majority of the first half. That’s OK, the Reds are just sticking to the Barcelona script. Or something.
Finally some action just before the half. Mo is played in through over the top, with the keeper stuck out in no man’s land, but he can’t direct his chip on target. A moment later Atalanta appear to peg Liverpool back, but the goal is correctly chalked off for offside. The ref blows for halftime, and the Reds are still in this. An early second half goal would certainly make things interesting. Half an hour into the second half, and the reds have hardly set the world alight. If they are planning a comeback, they should you know, start it soon. Klopp makes his first changes: bringing Diaz, Szoboszlai, and Salah off, and Jota, Elliott, and Darwin on. OK, let’s kitchen sink this bitch. A whole lot of nothing happened, and then Klopp brings on Danns with 10 minutes to go. Why not? You can Danns if you want to.
The Reds look dead on their feet, and completely out of ideas. Our European dreams die with barely a whimper. Another poor showing by the Reds, even if this is technically a victory.
