'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEBf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAnQhG/8QAIRAAAQIEBwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFBhESIiMxMoH/2gAIAQEAAT8Ap9wSirVqDpYGxMtgOnuRwQPCTCsMx1qj/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAxIAAgX/2gAIAQIBAT8A0QUCqT//xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAMR/9oACAEDAQE/ALgMn//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has urged the Reds to set aside their Europa League expectations and focus on winning the Premier League this season. He made the comments in the wake of Liverpool's 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final clash at Anfield on Thursday, April 11.
Jurgen Klopp's team put in an abysmal performance against the Italian outfit. The likes of Harvey Elliot and Darwin Nunez blew important chances to influence the course of the game. Liverpool made quite a few crucial mistakes - both in defense and attack - on a night they would be willing to forget quickly.
An unhappy Jamie Carragher took to social media after the game ended to share his thoughts and wrote on X:
"Awful result & performance from Liverpool, the only consolation about getting beat so heavily is Jurgen should play a full second string in the second leg & go all in for the league!"
For Liverpool, concentrating on the Premier League may be advantageous, especially taking into account their current league rankings and form. The Reds are level on points with league leaders Arsenal with seven games remaining.
Meanwhile, succeeding in the Europa League now seems difficult as they would need to overturn a three-goal deficit in Italy.
Jurgen Klopp discusses Liverpool's loss to Atalanta
Liverpool's 33-game undefeated home record across competitions came to an end following their 3-0 loss to Atalanta at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp was critical of his team's lack of structure and discipline and said after the game (via Mirror):
“Unfortunately there is nothing really positive to say about the game. The start was good and we were maybe unlucky with Harvey hitting the crossbar and that period we 100 percent deserved to be 1-0 up. Darwin’s chance was another good moment so that was really good.
“But from a specific moment on it became a really bad game and there is nothing positive to say about that. I didn’t like our discipline in possession. We were everywhere, which then means nowhere. No counter-press, we played into their hands,” he added.
Atalanta's Gianluca Scamacca was superb and exposed Liverpool's defensive shortcomings by scoring twice (38' and 60').
The Reds were unable to provide a much-needed clinical edge, a problem that Atalanta did not have, as Mario Pasalic added a third goal in the 83rd minute to exacerbate the hosts' problems.
