Liverpool looked half asleep throughout the first-half of this evening’s game against Atalanta.
Having sleep-walked to a poor draw against Manchester United on Sunday, as response was needed from the Reds at Anfield.
Unfortunately, it didn’t come initially. Liverpool were sluggish right from the off. With a protest over ticket price rises ongoing in the ground, the players on the pitch seemed affected, too. It did not feel like a Europa League quarter-final.
Atalanta, by contrast, were full of energy. Employing an interesting man-marking system, the Italian side pretty much completely nullified the Reds’ going forward. When their opening goal came not long before half-time, they deserved it.
Still, that didn’t mean that they were able to keep Liverpool completely quiet. Darwin Nunez had a chance he really should have scored from, while Peter Crouch picked out a player who was ‘making things happen’ for the Reds.
Peter Crouch praises Harvey Elliott display
There weren’t too many performances to shout about during the first-half this evening. With Jurgen Klopp making a number of changes, Liverpool just couldn’t get out of the traps.
Nevertheless, there were still one or two bright spots. Despite a poor mistake for the goal, Caoimhin Kelleher kept Liverpool in it with two brilliant saves.
Cody Gakpo was also a little more lively than we’ve seen him of late although he did fade as the half went on.
But according to Crouch, Harvey Elliott was the man who stood out more than any other. Elliott has been tremendous of late and was rewarded with a start against Atalanta.
And speaking to TNT Sports at half-time, Crouch suggested that a goal down, Liverpool needed to get the ball to the 21-year-old as much as possible.
“Get him the ball, he’s finding himself in lots of space on the right-hand side and he’s making things happen,” said the pundit.
Jurgen Klopp ignores Peter Crouch
Unfortunately for Elliott, Klopp did not agree with Crouch’s assessment. Elliott was taken off at half-time.
You’d have to say that the substitution wasn’t entirely unwarranted, either. Although he rattled the post and bar with a lovely effort, Elliot was otherwise not great tonight.
It’s fair to say that he was at least making space and making runs down the right, but he didn’t use the ball well when he had it.
It remains a bit of an oddity that Elliott tends to play better when coming into games from the bench. Tonight’s performance won’t change that notion anytime soon.