X reacts as ‘tepid’ Liverpool exit Europa League with a whimper

Jurgen Klopp will not get the chance to finish his Liverpool career with a European trophy next month following elimination from the Europa League at the quarter-final stage.

Liverpool managed to beat Atalanta in Bergamo on Thursday night, but a 3-0 aggregate deficit coming into the second leg meant that a solitary Mohamed Salah penalty was not enough to change things or mount a 2019-esque comeback as had so famously happened against Barcelona.

Ultimately, it was a bit of a damp end for Liverpool’s European campaign, threatening to do more than just ‘blow the bloody doors off’ to begin with, but eventually accepting their fate a little too readily. Of course, Atalanta deserve immense credit for their first leg victory and the nature of their second leg performance, shutting down a Liverpool side who have started to limp towards the season’s finale.

As things kicked off, the band was at least back together after an injury hit few months.

But, before any of the action really started, Virgil van Dijk dislocated a finger in the earliest minutes.

To the letter of the law…penalty.

Salah made no mistake from 12 yards when Liverpool were awarded their penalty.

Racking them up…

But Atalanta grew into the game and punished Liverpool sloppiness on the ball. Curtis Jones in particular came in for heat from disgruntled fans.