Diogo Jota’s hat-trick helped Liverpool to an impressive 5-0 win over Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Atalanta 0-5 Liverpool
• 0-1: Diogo Jota (16′)
• 0-2: Diogo Jota (33′)
• 0-3: Mohamed Salah (47′)
• 0-4: Sadio Mane (49′)
• 0-5: Diogo Jota (55′)
As it happened →
Highlights →
Jurgen Klopp’s side have had to dig deep for their recent victories, but they were back to their supreme best against Atalanta as they edged closer to securing progression to the Champions League knockout stages.
The Reds made it nine points out of nine in Group D as they ran out convincing 5-0 winners in Bergamo, with Jota the hero once again with his first Reds hat-trick.
Diogo Jota returned to the starting eleven after scoring the winner against West Ham at the weekend as he replaced Roberto Firmino, whilst Rhys Williams partnered Joe Gomez in defence.
It took less than two minutes for Jota to nearly get himself on the scoresheet as he got in behind and dispatched a low effort at goal, but goalkeeper Marco Sportiello did well to stop the shot.
A nice Liverpool move between Jota and Mohamed Salah saw the Egyptian lay the ball off for Sadio Mane, who pivoted well and got a powerful left-footed strike on goal, with Sportiello on hand once again.
It was an accomplished start to the game from the Reds and a goal looked to be only a matter of time. But the hosts nearly took the lead themselves as Luis Muriel’s shot nearly deceived Alisson, who did well to keep the ball out with his legs.
Curtis Jones saw his effort saved as the Reds continued to stream forward, and they got their just rewards through man-of-the-moment Jota.
Trent Alexander-Arnold played the Portuguese forward in behind, with Jota showing excellent strength and composure to keep the defender at bay and subtlely nudge the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 1-0 to the Reds.
Liverpool looked full of confidence and by far the more dominant side – despite Muriel having another pop at goal from long-range, with Alisson nearly letting it spill before holding on.
The Reds doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark as Jota beat the offside trap and brought down Gomez’s long-ball inside the box before smashing the ball into the back of the net to score his fifth goal in the last 4 games.
It took less than two minutes into the second half for Liverpool to add a third as Mohamed Salah cut back onto his left after being played through on goal, with the Egyptian calmly bending the ball into the far corner.
And it wasn’t much longer before Mane got in on the act as the Reds ramped up the pressure. Salah fed him through down the left, with the Reds forward producing an excellent chipped finish over Sportiello to make it 4-0.
Liverpool looked to be in no mood to stop as they soon made it five, with Jota getting in behind the defence again and rounding the goalkeeper, before rolling the ball into the empty net to score an exemplary hat-trick.
With a view to this weekend’s clash against Manchester City, Klopp brought off Jota, Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson, with Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino, James Milner coming on in a triple substitution.
Alisson was forced into making two excellent saves from Duvan Zapata, who looked most likely to score a consolation for the hosts.
Kostas Tsimikas returned from injury as he came on with Neco Williams for the final ten minutes, with Alexander-Arnold and Gini Wijnaldum also getting a breather before the weekend.
Salah and Mane both had chances to add another, but the Reds eventually cruised to a 5-0 rout in Bergamo. The result leaves Liverpool five points clear at the top of Group D, with progression nearly clinched. Next up – City.
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Williams, Gomez, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Jones, Mane, Jota, Salah.
LFC Globe’s MOTM: Diogo Jota
Next Fixture: Man City (A) – 8 Nov, 4.30pm
