Jurgen Klopp labeled the 3-0 defeat at home against Atalanta on Thursday as the season's nadir, putting Liverpool's aspirations in the Europa League on thin ice.

Liverpool vs Atlanta- Getty Image

The team appeared lackluster during the first leg of the quarter-final, and it was somewhat lucky that Atalanta failed to capitalize on several late opportunities to further embellish the scoreline, which was already in their favor.

A goal from Mo Salah was disallowed due to a slight offside, and the significantly altered Liverpool squad struggled for coherence, lacking the necessary vitality to overcome a disciplined Atalanta team. This victory positions Atalanta favorably for the upcoming match in Bergamo, potentially eliminating the tournament's favorites.

Klopp pointed out, "It was indeed peculiar, but from a football perspective, it boiled down to tactical discipline. Following their goal, we inadvertently played to their strategy.

"Our performance was not up to par, leading to our defeat, which we fully deserved. Now, we must acknowledge this disappointment, but we've only got tonight to dwell on it before we must prepare for Crystal Palace."

In an attempt to rejuvenate his team following a 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Sunday, Klopp made six changes, including three in defense, which rather than invigorating the squad, resulted in a sluggish performance both with and without the ball.

Mohamed Salah Goal was disallowed because he was found to be offside- Getty Image

When queried about the tie's prospects, with another 90 minutes to play at the Gewiss Stadium the following Thursday, Klopp responded, "Currently, it isn't appropriate to speculate on that. I’m too disheartened to consider the upcoming game when we've got a different match before that.

"Obviously, our intent is to endeavor, aiming for victory, but boasting about our chances prematurely is not wise. We must deliver an exceptional performance.

"At this juncture, considering our performance levels, we've hit a low, which implies there's room for improvement. Our immediate focus, however, shifts to the upcoming Sunday."

Before facing their daunting challenge in Italy for the return leg, Liverpool is set to play Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.

Jamie Carragher Response to the defeat

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!

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) April 11, 2024