Steve McManaman says Diogo Jota was Liverpool’s only shining light in the loss against Atalanta
It was probably the worst performance from Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp in recent memory. The 5-2 loss against Real Madrid did not feel half as bad, because they are European pedigree. This 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League, as much as it was Liverpool’s complacency, is the wonderful intent from the Serie A side. Only one player from the Reds was decent enough according to Steve McManaman, and that’s Diogo Jota.
Fair play, and all due credit to Atalanta. They came to Anfield with a plan, executed it to near perfection and went back home with a lead. It is so sad for them that away goals in Europe don’t count for any more. Former West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca scored a brace and Mario Pasalic hit the final nail in the coffin.
Liverpool’s defensive structure was entirely skewed, mostly due to the lack of rational thinking when it came to positional awareness. The midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones did not have enough control of the game. Front three of Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott were as toothless as they could be, bar the odd chance.
Questions need to be asked of Darwin Nunez, whose failures in front of goal for two matches now, have cost the Reds greatly. Diogo Jota, who came off the bench in the 76th minute, had a greater impact on the game than Nunez did in the hour he played. Steve McManaman echoes this thought, and here is what he had to say via TNT Sport:
“At least he’s in the box, trying to score. Everyone else is on the periphery, hanging back. Diogo Jota, look, he’s the only one in there trying to cause trouble in the six-yard box,”
Not good at all!
In 14 minutes, Diogo had 13 touches in the opposition box and played like a natural striker who played as close to the goal as possible. Instead of inverting, our wingers stayed back at the outside of the edge of the box and waited for support way too often. Even though Jota missed a header which was his only actual attempt in the game, he only returned from an injury layoff.
While Nunez endured a difficult outing and failed to make a significant impact, Jota’s proactive approach stood out as a shining example of the attitude and mindset required to succeed at the highest level.
Looking ahead, Liverpool will undoubtedly be looking to bounce back from this disappointing result and will need players like Jota to continue stepping up and delivering when called upon. As the team navigates through a challenging period, Jota’s ability to provide a spark in attack could prove crucial in their pursuit of success across multiple fronts.
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Ultimately, while the loss against Atalanta was undoubtedly a setback, Jota’s return offers a glimmer of hope for Liverpool as they look to turn their fortunes around. As the team strives to rediscover their attacking prowess and return to winning ways, Jota’s contribution could prove to be invaluable in their pursuit of silverware.
