Jurgen Klopp was keen to focus on the positives after Liverpool‘s Europa League exit on Thursday, highlighting the importance of being ‘back to winning ways’ despite suffering a 3-1 defeat on aggregate against Atalanta.
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Admitting their shock 3-0 loss in the first leg at Anfield was a ‘massive hurdle’ to climb, Klopp praised his side’s ‘desire and power’ after Mohamed Salah‘s penalty handed the Reds’ a 1-0 win on the night in Bergamo.
Like their Premier League title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City, who also crashed out of Europe following Champions League defeats by Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively on Wednesday, Liverpool will now focus on their final six league games of the season in an effort to produce a fairytale ending for Klopp, who is leaving Anfield in the summer.
The Reds exit meant that, for only the third time in the 21st century, England have no teams in the semi-finals of the Champions League or Europa League/UEFA Cup.
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‘It was clear we gave ourselves a massive hurdle,’ the German told TNT Sports after crashing out of Europe. ‘I liked the game a lot tonight with the desire and power the boys show. It was incredible from them.’
Jurgen Klopp was keen to focus on the positives after Liverpool’s exit from the Europa League
The Reds, pictured despondent at full time, failed to overturn their 3-0 deficit from the first leg against Atalanta, but still won the away leg 1-0 thanks to a first half penalty from Mo Salah
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The Egyptian star scored from the spot early on as Liverpool made the perfect start in Bergamo
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Having only just returned from injury, Trent Alexander-Arnold was drafted in to start in Italy as cover for Conor Bradley, who sustained an ankle problem during Liverpool’s defeat by Crystal Palace.
Klopp admitted it was ‘insane’ that the England international was even on the pitch given his injury issues of late, claiming the match could have gone another way were he fully fit and firing.
‘It was really tricky and we were too hasty in moments. If Trent Alexander-Arnold had been a bit fitter we could have gone a bit longer, but it is insane that he has even played! In the end he was running out of gas,’ Klopp added.
‘We won the game and that was the reaction we wanted to show. It was difficult and we knew it would be but they deserve to go through 100%.
‘We have to focus on the league and that is exactly what we will do from now. Tonight we won the game so we are back to winning ways. We have a few days to recover to go again against Fulham. That will be a different game but it will be tricky.’
‘It is mixed emotions. We are out but I am happy with the game. We would have wished that we could have gone to Dublin but that hasn’t happened.
‘We now have one competition left and we will throw ourselves into that completely.’
Klopp said it was ‘insane’ that Trent Alexander-Arnold (left) managed to play for so long after only recently returning from injury, quickly recalled because of Conor Bradley’s ankle problem
Gian Piero Gasperini roared in celebration of a job well done as his Atalanta side progressed
Despite scoring Liverpool’s winning spot-kick, Salah uncharacteristically missed a catalogue of important chances during the match.
Since returning from injury, the Egyptian has looked far from his clinical best, despite netting six goals in 11 games, with two coming from the penalty spot.
When asked whether Salah was hitting a poor run of scoring form at the worst time, Klopp said: ‘I’m not particularly concerned. That’s what strikers do. That’s how it it is. We have to go through it, he has to go through it.
‘He is one of most experienced players in the squad. That’s pretty much all.
‘It’s not that Mo didn’t miss chances before in his life, that’s part of the game. The penalty was super convincing, a super penalty then the next chance that was unlucky, but it’s not the first time has has missed chances like that.
‘I won’t make a big story of it. I’m not particularly concerned.’
Virgil van Dijk applauded the travelling supporters after Liverpool’s Europa League exit
Klopp said that he isn’t ‘particularly concerned’ by Salah’s wasteful run of form in front of goal
The Reds will gear up to face free-scoring Fulham at the weekend, level on points with Arsenal in second and two points behind league leaders Manchester City.
Although all matches left are must-win games, Liverpool’s title challenge could be over without maximum points in their next three against Fulham, Everton and West Ham, with Klopp’s side set to take on top-four chasers Tottenham and Aston Villa in two of their last three meetings of the season.
