LIVERPOOL 0-3 ATALANTA: Woeful Reds suffered a massive surprise at Anfield as Italian outfit Atalanta thrashed them at home in Europa League quarter-final first leg shock

Disgruntled Jurgen Klopp admitted his Liverpool flops “lost the plot” in a shock 3-0 hammering by Atalanta.

They were all over the shop as the ruthless Italians took firm control of the Europa League quarter-final tie.

A brace from former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca and ex-Chelsea ace Mario Pasalic’s late goal stunned error-ridden Liverpool.

Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai appears dejected after Atalanta’s Mario Pasalic scores their third goal (Image: PA)

Crashing to a first home defeat of the season – and their joint-heaviest European loss at Anfield – it leaves them needing a huge turnaround in next Thursday’s second leg in Bergamo.

Boss Klopp admitted: “It was a really bad game. We started well and didn’t continue. We just lost the plot a bit. We were everywhere and nowhere. I didn’t recognise what they were doing [in midfield].

“We played a bad game and deserved to lose. We must feel that now. But it’s this night to feel bad about it. Congratulations, Atalanta. They played really well.”

With one eye on Sunday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, Klopp insisted he had no issues starting with so many of his regulars on the bench. Mo Salah, Andy Robertson and Dominik Szoboszlai all came on at half-time when trailing 1-0. He maintained: “I’d do exactly the same again.

“There’s reasons for it. “If we want to be good in the rest of the season we have to make changes. I am responsible for this performance. I know that. But I’d do that again.”

A dejected Joe Gomez of Liverpool during the UEFA Europa League clash
Liverpool did beat Atalanta 5-0 in Bergamo in a Champions League tie in 2020 to offer hope of them recovering. But Klopp said: “I believe it’s not the moment to talk about that [second leg]. I’m not in the mood to think about a game in a week’s time when we have another game before.

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“We will definitely try to win and see if we can. This was probably a low point for us for a long time so it should be possible to play a bit better. And a lot better.”