Liverpool Crumble at Home: Europa Dreams Fading?

Liverpool’s hopes of salvaging their season with a Europa League triumph lie in tatters after a shambolic 3-0 home defeat to Atalanta in the first leg of their quarter-final tie. The Serie A side drew first blood through former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca, who capitalized on a Caoimhin Kelleher error to break the deadlock in the 38th minute at Anfield.

Despite some bright moments from Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez, who struck the woodwork, Liverpool looked increasingly bereft of ideas and urgency as the match wore on. Their wastefulness was punished on the hour mark when the unmarked Scamacca swept home his second of the night with a crisp finish to double Atalanta’s advantage.

Any faint hopes of a stirring fightback were finally extinguished late on as Mario Pasalic pounced on a rebound to make it 3-0 to the visitors after Kelleher had parried Ederson’s initial effort. It means Liverpool face an uphill task to overturn the deficit in next week’s second leg in Bergamo.

The performance encapsulated the domestic disappointments of Liverpool’s campaign to date. With hopes of a Premier League title challenge having faded long ago, their priority had become securing a return to the Champions League via a top four finish. But even that now looks uncertain, with the Reds currently languishing in sixth, three points adrift of the coveted qualification places.

So the Europa League had emerged as Liverpool’s last potential source of silverware this term, as well as a route back into the continent’s elite club competition next season. But after this insipid showing against Atalanta, that too looks an increasingly remote prospect.

Jurgen Klopp’s men were simply outfought, outthought and outplayed by the vibrant Italians, for whom Scamacca was the driving force on a memorable European night. The former West Ham loanee tormented the Liverpool backline all evening with his movement, hold-up play and predatory instincts in the box.

In truth, he could have had a hat-trick, with Kelleher rescuing the hosts with a excellent save midway through the second period when Scamacca was clean through. The 24-year-old also had a couple of other half-chances, further underlining what a thorn in Liverpool’s side he proved.

His overall display reinforced just why he has been dubbed ‘The Next Zlatan Ibrahimovic’ in Serie A circles and attracted admiring glances from clubs across Europe’s major leagues. On this evidence, it is clear to see why.

The same sadly cannot be said for Liverpool’s forward line. While Nunez worked tirelessly and saw one deflected effort come back off the woodwork, his profligacy summed up the Reds’ night. Mohamed Salah, perhaps surprisingly omitted from the starting XI, fared little better after his second half introduction, with his best effort well saved by Juan Musso.

In the final reckoning, Liverpool got exactly what their substandard performance deserved; more European humiliation to follow on from their tame Champions League group stage exit earlier this season. Overturning a three-goal deficit against in-form Atalanta in the return leg will require an almighty response and complete transformation from Klopp’s side.

But on this wretched evidence under the Anfield lights, that looks a mountainous ask right now. The dream of glory in the Europa League - a possible saving grace in a season of domestic disappointment - is fading fast for the Merseyside giants.