Liverpool’s dismal display leaves Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour in tatters, writes WILL PICKWORTH… as the Reds’ defensive weaknesses are exposed by impressive Atalanta on a bleak night

Everything seemed set to end so perfectly.

Ever since Jurgen Klopp announced his shock decision to leave Liverpool after nine brilliant and transformative years, Reds fans have had Wednesday May 22 written into their diaries.

For this is the date of the Europa League final in Dublin, a city with significant cultural and emotional ties to Liverpool.

The memory of Klopp lifting the only trophy he has yet to win in his final game in charge, before riding off into the sunset, is the sort of thing dreams are made of.

Yet after an error-strewn evening at Anfield, Klopp’s hopes of a perfect farewell hang by a thread after a dismal 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in their Europa League quarter-final first leg .

The Reds were beaten 3-0 after putting in their worst performance of the season at Anfield.

But Atalanta were brilliant and deserve huge credit for securing a major shock on Thursday

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Liverpool produced their worst performance of the season to find themselves with a mammoth task in Bergamo next week as their unbeaten streak at home stretching back to February 2023 came to an end.

“A very bad game, oh my God,” Klopp lamented after the match. “We lost the thread of the plot a little, we were everywhere and nowhere.

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing really positive to say about this match. I didn’t like our tactical positioning in possession.

“We scored offside but it was a bad game from us. Atalanta had a good game, scored three goals and deserved to win.

“The guys have to go home and sleep badly.”

Klopp – whose side were Europa League favorites before Thursday – could not complain, with his side left behind and second to Atalanta, as their defensive frailties were brutally exposed.

Gianluca Scamacca found himself in acres of space for both his goals – although Caoimhin Kelleher let the first slip through his hands – before a terrible error from Dominik Szoboszlai led to a potentially decisive third from Mario Pasalic.

But it could have been worse. Despite Kelleher’s mistake, the Irishman made three brilliant saves after Atalanta had opened Liverpool up.

The Reds’ faltering defense has now scored 11 goals in their last five matches, while they have failed to keep a clean sheet in nine.

In the aftermath of Liverpool’s memorable Carabao Cup victory in February, there was genuine hope that Klopp could end his time at Anfield with a quadruple.

But after losing the FA Cup following a 4-3 defeat to Man United, and at a time when Arsenal have conceded just once in their last five league matches, Liverpool’s defensive lapses could derail their search for silverware elsewhere.

Virgil van Dijk, who was surprisingly off-color on that dismal evening for the Reds, admitted as much but insisted Klopp’s side would not dwell on the display.

“Obviously it’s not great and it’s a very, very disappointing night,” he reflected. “There were too many individual errors and we were punished for that.

“The spaces were open and they punished us immediately. But we need everyone to look forward to another great game.

‘It hurts. But that cannot bring us down. We have to react quite quickly.

Yet for all of Liverpool’s shortcomings, Atalanta and Gian Piero Gasperini deserve huge credit for their brilliant display.

Klopp’s hopes of a perfect farewell in the Europa League final in Dublin are hanging by a thread.

Liverpool’s defensive deficiencies have become apparent and could cost them dearly in the Premier League

The Italians cut Liverpool open time and time again, shrugging off their indifferent league form to cause one of the shocks of the season.

West Ham fans may have been wondering where this version of Scamacca was during his failed spell in east London, but he was symptomatic of strong displays all over the park, with former Chelsea defender Davide Zappacosta being a threat to the right.

Although Mohamed Salah had a second-half goal disallowed for offside, Atalanta appeared to strengthen in defense as the match wore on, with Juan Musso enjoying a surprisingly quiet night.

But, as we’ve seen during Klopp’s nine years in charge, you’d be a fool to write Liverpool off next week, even though the German will have to stage one of his greatest comebacks yet if he wants to spend this special evening in Dublin. May will come.