LONDON • Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool could have no complaints after they wasted a chance to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League, but took out his frustrations on broadcaster BT Sport for scheduling yet another early kick-off on Saturday.
The hosts could have guaranteed qualification from Group D with a victory, giving the manager the opportunity to rotate his squad for the two remaining games. But the Reds produced a poor display that was punished by an impressive Atalanta side, who ran out 2-0 away winners on Wednesday.
Two goals in four minutes from Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens in the second half gave the Serie A outfit a memorable victory that ended Liverpool’s 100 per cent record in this year’s tournament.
The Reds had thrashed Atalanta 5-0 in Italy last month, but this time Klopp’s men looked vulnerable at the back in a rare defeat at Anfield.
The likes of Rhys Williams, Divock Origi, Neco Williams and Curtis Jones all started, but even when the German made changes in the second half by bringing on Diogo Jota, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Andy Robertson and Takumi Minamino, his side were still listless.
Not only were they beaten for the first time in nine games in all competitions, but it was their first loss within 90 minutes at Anfield since September 2018, while also failing to register a shot on target against the Italians.
The Group D leaders still have destiny in their own hands – they need one win from their last two games to advance – but Klopp had wanted to seal qualification early amid a hectic schedule.
“A deserved defeat in a difficult game. The referee didn’t whistle a lot and that makes it even more difficult, for both sides It was unbelievably intense and you need some breaks,” he said.
“When the first half is gone, you usually settle but for some players who didn’t play for a while, it was very intense for them. We didn’t find a way in the game.”
Following their Premier League 3-0 win over Leicester last weekend, Klopp hit out at broadcasters Sky and BT Sport for their match scheduling and he turned the heat up on them again for making his side travel to Brighton and Hove Albion in the top flight on Saturday.
“I’m afraid to say but I think it (running out of steam) could happen not only to us but to other teams as well,” he said.
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2018
The last time Liverpool lost within 90 minutes at Anfield was against Chelsea (2-1 League Cup third-round defeat) on Sept 26, 2018.
“You (BT Sport) my special friends ask us to go on Saturday at 12.30pm, which is nearly a crime to be honest. It has nothing to do with the game tonight but congratulations for that. My only interest in the moment is that I get a thumbs up, nobody injured, let’s recover immediately. We take it.”
But former Manchester United defender pundit Rio Ferdinand gave short shrift to Klopp’s complaints about the fixture jam, telling BT Sport: “Everyone’s in the same boat. It doesn’t make it right but when you look at the depth of his squad, they’re sitting in a better position than most.”
There was better news for Liverpool yesterday when they were among the Premier League clubs – alongside the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham, Brighton and Southampton – given the green light for the return of fans following an eight-month absence. They are within tier-two areas in England, meaning they can welcome up to 2,000 fans when a month-long national lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 is lifted on Wednesday. But clubs in Manchester will have to wait longer after Greater Manchester was classified as being in the very high alert zone in a list published by the government.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE