Echoes of Diego as Gomez runs Reds ragged
LIVERPOOL 0 ATALANTA 2 Ilicic 60, Gosens 64
JURGEN KLOPP would not have been in the mood to think about the poignancy, as his best laid plans were blown to smithereens, but maybe it had to be this way.
Under Anfield’s floodlights, a little Argentine with broad shoulders, a left foot and wearing a No 10 shirt stole the show. Nobody is comparing Alejandro Gomez to Diego Maradona but the symbolism of him starring in the number made famous by the late, lamented genius could not be missed.
Liverpool, who were aiming to secure progress into the Champions League knockout stages with two games to spare, were second best all night against opponents they had steamrollered in Italy at the beginning of the month and could not contain Gomez.
He created both goals as Atalanta knocked Liverpool out with two suckerpunches, in the 60th and 64th minute. It was the first time Liverpool had lost a Champions League group game at Anfield since October 2014 when they thrashed 3-0 by Real Madrid.
Had this contest finished with a similar scoreline, Klopp could not have complained. He would take it as an affront to say that his team played complacency but there was definitely a sense of them thinking they had done nearly enough to reach the last 16.
The team was picked, clearly, with more than one eye fixed on Brighton and the south coast on Saturday and the absence of Roberto Firmino was significant. He had only failed to appear in one other of the 54 European matches Liverpool have played under Klopp and that was through injury in April 2019.
It was not, however, a team bereft of quality. There was still the twin threat of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane up front with experience and quality of James Milner, Gini Wijnaldum and Joel Matip running through the spine of team.
Still, it was unrealistic to think that Liverpool were going to do to Atalanta what they did to them in Bergamo three weeks ago — winning 5-0 — not least as the Italians arrived here sensing they could still progress to the knockout stages.
They started that way, too. Atalanta have gained a reputation for playing with a sense of adventure and they got on the front foot immediately, serving notice of their intentions in the eighth when Robin Gosens, their left midfielder, tried to catch Alisson Becker unawares.
Gosens had drifted away from Neco Williams, to receive a long ball, but when he looked into the middle and saw no options he slammed a drive that sped towards Liverpool’s near post but Alisson, big and imposing, flung out a strong arm to turn the danger away.
Williams, the young Wales international, had a scratchy start that mirrored his team and he was caught out again in the 10th minute by Gomez but the Argentine, who was desperate to score on this day of all dark days for his country, dragged his effort from 20 yards wide.
Klopp was not thrilled with what he was seeing and his frustrations, following a passive 30 minutes, boiled over when he reprimanded Divock Origi to such an extent that even on the back row of the highest tier of the imposing Main Stand you could hear the manager implore: ‘You have to run!’
Origi tried to mutter back but it was an argument he was never going to win. There was also a telling- off for Kostas Tsimikas, the Greek left back who is adjusting to his new team, but that fury would have been mild to what would have arrived in the 36th minute it h add Atalanta t two na penalty.
When Josip Ilicic charged into the area, he went sprawling as he jostled with Wijnaldum but referee Carlos del Cerro Grande waved the noisy appeals away.
To give an idea of how much Liverpool struggled to pin Atalanta back, their first shot at goal did not arrive until the 44th minute but, even then, it was nowhere near close to causing Pierluigi Gollini, Atalanta’s goalkeeper, a moment’s worry: Salah’s effort sped high into the Anfield Road end.
Klopp has a habit of hurrying down the tunnel at the interval and the urgency with which he headed to the dressing room told you that he was ready to make changes and as the hour approached, he readied the cavalry in the form of Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, Andrew Robertson and Fabinho.
But as the quartet hopped up and down and got themselves ready, Gomez took over as he wriggled away and zipped a cross to the back post that demanded Ilicic provide the finish and that is what he did, beating Becker comprehensively from six yards.
Liverpool were stunned and Atalanta sensed their opportunity. Again Gomez got on the ball, created some space and clipped a cross to the back post for Hans Hatebor to nod into the path of Gosens, who finally got his reward.
The celebrations were noisy on the visiting bench, while Klopp could only shake his head in bewilderment. Really, however, there could be no argument. Liverpool must now get a result against Ajax next week, something that will not be easy if they play this way.
Mind you, this is European competition — when have Liverpool ever done things simply?