Jamie Carragher admitted on CBS (03/11/20 at 10:30 pm) that he thought Liverpool would concede ‘two goals’ against Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Instead, Jurgen Klopp’s men ran riot in the final third by scoring five goals and securing their third clean sheet in the competition.
It was the Diogo Jota show in Bergamo, with Liverpool’s summer signing showing the world why he was purchased by the champions of England, as he netted a quite brilliant hat-trick.
Carragher shared his thoughts on Liverpool’s defence in Italy and felt they would face more problems than they did, but he also made it clear that it’s the ‘more direct’ teams, such as Sheffield United, West Ham and Aston Villa, who cause them the biggest problems at the back.
“I thought it would be very difficult to keep a clean sheet and maybe even keep Atalanta down to two goals,” said Carragher. “But Liverpool were very clinical. That is Liverpool at their best.
“There was a big worry when Virgil van Dijk was out of the team and how Liverpool would react. I don’t think it’s in these types of games that Liverpool would struggle defensively as such. I think where they miss Van Dijk is when teams go more direct and teams who are big on set-pieces.
“You don’t normally get that much in the Champions League, it’s more the bottom half of the Premier League. So, Sheffield United gave Liverpool problems. West Ham at the weekend. And before that, you had the Aston Villa game even though Van Dijk was playing. They went very direct and I believe that can give Liverpool problems.”
Whilst Liverpool’s attack will rightly steal the limelight because of the destructive nature in which they ripped apart the Serie A side, their defence should still be applauded.
From Nat Phillips to Rhys Williams, Liverpool’s academy products are stepping up when the clubs need them the most because, Williams in Italy and Phillips over the weekend, both have been outstanding.
Now it’s time to turn their attention to the weekend and facing off against Manchester City, who have seemingly had their own problems this season as well.
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