In-form Diogo Jota scored a terrific hat-trick as Liverpool made a big Champions League statement of intent with a stunning win at Atalanta. Jurgen Klopp's side have won all three Group D games without conceding a goal, and victory in one of their remaining fixtures should be enough to take them through to the knockout stages.
2020/2021 UEFA Champions League
0-5
Match Reports
Ajax won 2-1 away to Midtjylland, so catch Atalanta in second place on four points, while Liverpool now have seven.
Both Gian Piero Gasperini and Jurgen Klopp had injuries to deal with, missing Robin Gosens, Marten de Roon, Mattia Caldara, Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho. Hans Hateboer passed a late fitness test, but did not look anywhere near at his best.
While it was a huge event to welcome the Reds to the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, it was unfortunately played behind closed doors due to the rising COVID-19 cases.
It took a couple of minutes for Liverpool to have their first shot on target, as Hans Hateboer passed a last-minute fitness test and let Diogo Jota go past him too easily, testing Marco Sportiello. Jota was used as a centre-forward, as Roberto Firmino was rested.
Johan Mojica kept up with ex-Roma star Mohamed Salah for an excellent last-ditch tackle, while Sadio Mane’s strike was palmed over the bar and Alisson used his foot to parry a Luis Muriel finish.
Diogo Jota opened the scoring when he ran on to a Trent Alexander-Arnold through ball and got in front of Jose Luis Palomino, dinking the finish over Sportiello.
Alisson let a Muriel effort squirm under him and had to reach back to grab the loose ball, while Duvan Zapata hit the crossbar only for a very tight offside call.
Jota scored his fifth goal in four competitive games this season, hooking down a Joe Gomez cross-field ball and turning much quicker than Hateboer to fire in first time into the near bottom corner from nine yards.
It was almost 3-0, but Sportiello made a fantastic save to fingertip Mane’s curler round the far post.
Straight after the restart, Atalanta were caught on the most basic of situations, a counter-attack from their own corner, as Sala sprinted from his own half to score.
The fourth goal wasn’t much better, as it started from a throw-in, Salah’s slide-rule pass sending Mane down the left to chip Sportiello from a tight angle.
Just as Atalanta created a chance with Mojica’s cross knocked back beyond Duvan Zapata, Liverpool scored on another ridiculously simple counter-attack finished by Diogo Jota on Mane’s through ball.
Duvan Zapata was desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet on 62 minutes, as he ran on to Gomez’s through ball, cut back to commit two defenders and his right-foot strike thumped the far top corner of the frame.
Alisson also had to make two very difficult saves on Duvan Zapata, one-handed on the angled drive and almost bent backwards by a powerful finish from close range. Atalanta were almost penalised on the counter from a corner yet again, Salah sprinting from midfield, but this time Sportiello got his gloves to it.
Duvan Zapata was very unlucky not to get a consolation in stoppages, as he found the back of the net, but was flagged offside.
Atalanta 0-5 Liverpool
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
2' Jota's shot too straight
16' GOAL! Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool (Jota)
19' Muriel's shot stopped by Alisson
29' CLOSE! Zapata hits the beam
33' GOAL! Atalanta 0-2 Liverpool (Jota)
36' Mane's shot stopped
47' GOAL! Atalanta 0-3 Liverpool (Salah)
49' GOAL! Atalanta 0-4 Liverpool (Mane)
54' GOAL! Atalanta 0-5 Liverpool (Jota)
62' CLOSE! Zapata hits the post
82' CHANCE! Salah's shot inches wide
92' OFFSIDE! Zapata’s goal disallowed
Line-ups
Atalanta XI: Gomez, Zapata, Toloi, Muriel, Palomino, Freuler, Mojica, Djimsiti, Sportiello, Pasalic, Hateboer
Subs: Ilicic, Rossi, Malinovskiy, Miranchuk, Gollini, Pessina, S. Lammers, Depaoli, Romero, M. Ruggeri, Amad Traore, G. Scalvini
Liverpool XI: Wijnaldum, Henderson, Alisson, Salah, Mane, Robertson, Joe Gomez, Jota, Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, R. Williams
Subs: Milner, Adrian, Shaqiri, Matip, Firmino, Minamino, Origi, Naby Keita, Tsimikas, Kelleher, J. Cain, Neco Williams