"Gives me nightmares", "Just wave the white flag" - Liverpool fans unhappy with star's inclusion in starting XI for UEL clash against Atalanta

Liverpool fans on X are reacting in disappointment after Jurgen Klopp included Curtis Jones in the starting XI to face Atalanta later today (Thursday, April 18). The two sides are set to face each other in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals at the Gewiss Stadium.

Atalanta shocked Jurgen Klopp and Co. with a clinical 3-0 win during the first leg at Anfield. The Reds will be hoping to overcome this deficit in tonight's fixture. This has never been done in 132 previous games in UEL history after the away side won the first leg with a three or more goal margin.

Alisson Becker starts in goal for Liverpool. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Andy Robertson make up the defense. The midfield consists of Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, and Dominik Szoboszlai. Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah, and Cody Gakpo start up front to complete the starting XI.

Jones had a poor outing during the Reds' 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace over the weekend. He missed a great one-on-one opportunity in the second half to bring them back into the game. Fans aren't happy with the 23-year-old's inclusion with one of them posting:

"Curtis Jones name alone gives me nightmares"

"Curtis Jones should be on the bench harvey or grav should start"

Other fan reactions can be viewed below:

"Curtis. Jones. Yep, we're out", one fan bemoaned

"I can’t believe I’m actually seeing Curtis Jones in the starting lineup again", one fan claimed

"Curtis Jones starting again. Just wave the white flag", another fan posted

"Curtis Jones needs to step up. He’s been stinking out the gaff since returning", one fan wrote

"WE NEED 4 GOALS AND HES STARTED CURTIS JONES", one fan exlaimed

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"Simply not at the required level and he never has been" - Jose Enrique slams Liverpool forward amid poor run of form

Former Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique has criticized Darwin Nunez, suggesting that the Uruguayan forward is not good enough to be the Reds' No. 9.

Nunez has performed at a higher level this season compared to his below-par debut first year during the 2022-23 campaign. He has netted 18 goals and provided 13 assists in 47 games this season as compared to 15 goals and four assists in 42 games last season. However, he has frustrated fans for not being clinical enough.

Enrique told Grosvenor Sport (via DAZN):

“Darwin Nunez is simply not at the required level, and he never has been. He is a good player, I like him a lot and the fans love him, but he isn’t at the level of some of Liverpool’s best forwards from the past. He is a good player but he is not a Liverpool number nine. He could play for a lot of top teams in Europe, but he is not good enough for those that are challenging for trophies."

He added:

“Their old front three was one of the world’s best and now this current team only really has two goalscorers – Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota. Cody Gakpo is not a goalscorer and he won’t get you 20 goals every season like Sadio Mane and Salah did.

"Roberto Firmino wasn’t a player to score that many goals, but he gave you so much more outside of that. Darwin Nunez gets a lot of chances but misses them too frequently.”

The 24-year-old missed a series of big chances in recent games as Liverpool dropped points to Manchester United and Crystal Palace, and lost 3-0 to Atalanta. He has missed the most big chances in Europe this season, failing to score 25 from 31 chances.