Midtjylland captain Erik Sviatchenko was impressed by Liverpool’s laser-like precision during Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Anfield, speaking to TV2.
On another night, an UCL newcomer founded as recently as 1999 could have claimed an iconic win away to one of the most famous and historic clubs in the whole of Europe.
But while Midtjylland squandered three glorious chances at one end, Liverpool made theirs count at the other.
The most accurate of one-twos from Xherdan Shaqiri and Trent Alexander-Arnold carved apart the Dane’s defence in the build up to Diogo Jota’s 55th minute opener.
A hard-fought win was complete in stoppage time as Mo Salah slammed home a penalty, mere moments after former Brighton midfielder Anders Dreyer clipped a glorious chance into the side netting.
And Sviatchenko believes it was Liverpool’s clinical touch which made the difference in a game that was far closer than the 2-0 scoreline suggests.
“We met a team that is millimetre-accurate when it really matters. They showed that with the two goals,” says the former Celtic defender.
“But along the way, we showed what we were made of.
“I’m a little disappointed. We had the opportunities and the performance needed to get that shock result. Now you are left with a feeling that there was something you could have picked up.”
Liverpool have picked up six points from six in the Champions League thus far, following up their 1-0 triumph over Ajax in Amsterdam.
But the results, and a pair of clean sheets, feel more than a little fortuitous. Shorn of the totemic presence of Virgil van Dijk, both Ajax and Midtjylland could, and probably should, have scored at least twice apiece against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
It feels unlikely that Atalanta, one of the most prolific sides in Europe, will be quite so wasteful.
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