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Liverpool produced an incredible display on Tuesday night to beat Atalanta BC 5-0 away from home in Champions League Group D.
Diogo Jota netted his first hat-trick for the club and was joined on the scoresheet by Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in Italy.Â*
Here are five talking points from the match...
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Jota signing
Where do you begin with Jota’s start to his Liverpool career?Â*
Becoming just the 10th player in club history to bag a treble in the European Cup, the No.20 has netted six goals in his last four games.
He’s only the second player to score on his first two starts for the Reds in the Champions League – Robbie Keane is the other.
So, is he playing the best football of his career?Â*
“Well I’m playing in the best team in my career so far, that’s for sure,†the 23-year-old responded to that particular question.Â*
Whether a starter or substitute, Jota has proved to be capable of delivering match-winning impacts. All three of his finishes on Tuesday were exquisite.Â*
Displaying his full range of abilities in front of goal, Jota’s first – his personal favourite – was a lovely, deft dink over MarcoÂ*Sportiello, the second a thumping strike as he then rounded the goalkeeper and expertly converted for his third.
It meant he returned from Italy with some extra luggage.
Salah continues to match or better the feats of Liverpool legends.Â*
His goal at the Gewiss Stadium – a clinical curling effort following a rapid breakaway from an Atalanta corner – saw him become the joint-highest European Cup goalscorer for the club.Â*
One more for the Egyptian and he advances past Steven Gerrard’s total of 21 goals in the Champions League.
“It’s something I’m very proud of,†he said post-match. “But as I’ve said before, the most important thing is the team.â€
Salah’s statistics in the competition for Liverpool are staggering: 36 appearances, 21 goals, 10 assists and one winner’s medal.Â*
Bow down to the Egyptian King.
Solid at the back
Of course the plaudits went to the forwards and Jota in particular, but Liverpool’s defensive showing was another pleasing aspect of the display in Bergamo.Â*
The Reds are yet to concede a goal in the Champions League so far this term and have been without Virgil van Dijk.
Â*
Rhys Williams was handed his first start in the competition and didn’t put a foot wrong against an opposition renowned for their attacking play and ability to score goals.Â*
Between the sticks, Alisson Becker impressed with a number of smart saves and his decisiveness when coming off his goalline. Trent Alexander-Arnold also chipped in with an assist.
Liverpool were excellent – in both boxes.
Well positioned in Group D
Liverpool are going at a club-record pace in the Champions League group stages.Â*
They remain well on course to reach the knockout stages for the fourth straight year.
This is the first time ever that the Reds have won their three openers in the competition as they now sit five points clear of second-placed AFC Ajax.Â*
Atalanta arrive at Anfield following the international break as Ajax then come to Merseyside in matchday five.Â*
Bring it on.
Italian joy
After the defeats at Napoli in the past two seasons, Liverpool supporters may have had qualms about facing an Italian side once again. Those worries will have alleviated not long into the second half.Â*
The 5-0 win is the biggest ever by an English club away to Italian opposition in European competition.
It also represents Klopp’s first Champions League victory in Italy, having lost in each of his five previous visits to the country before Tuesday’s result.Â*
Genk, Salzburg, Ajax and now Atalanta – Klopp’s men have won all four of their last group-stage away matches.
More...
Diogo Jota netted his first hat-trick for the club and was joined on the scoresheet by Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in Italy.Â*
Here are five talking points from the match...
[embedded content]
Jota signing
Where do you begin with Jota’s start to his Liverpool career?Â*
Becoming just the 10th player in club history to bag a treble in the European Cup, the No.20 has netted six goals in his last four games.
He’s only the second player to score on his first two starts for the Reds in the Champions League – Robbie Keane is the other.
So, is he playing the best football of his career?Â*
“Well I’m playing in the best team in my career so far, that’s for sure,†the 23-year-old responded to that particular question.Â*
Whether a starter or substitute, Jota has proved to be capable of delivering match-winning impacts. All three of his finishes on Tuesday were exquisite.Â*
Displaying his full range of abilities in front of goal, Jota’s first – his personal favourite – was a lovely, deft dink over MarcoÂ*Sportiello, the second a thumping strike as he then rounded the goalkeeper and expertly converted for his third.
It meant he returned from Italy with some extra luggage.
âš½ï¸ âš½ï¸ âš½ï¸ Our hat-trick hero 🤩 https://t.co/4c6xFReg0c
— LFC (Liverpool FC) 3rd Nov 22:08
Mo keeps climbingÂ*— LFC (Liverpool FC) 3rd Nov 22:08
Salah continues to match or better the feats of Liverpool legends.Â*
His goal at the Gewiss Stadium – a clinical curling effort following a rapid breakaway from an Atalanta corner – saw him become the joint-highest European Cup goalscorer for the club.Â*
One more for the Egyptian and he advances past Steven Gerrard’s total of 21 goals in the Champions League.
“It’s something I’m very proud of,†he said post-match. “But as I’ve said before, the most important thing is the team.â€
Salah’s statistics in the competition for Liverpool are staggering: 36 appearances, 21 goals, 10 assists and one winner’s medal.Â*
Bow down to the Egyptian King.
Solid at the back
Of course the plaudits went to the forwards and Jota in particular, but Liverpool’s defensive showing was another pleasing aspect of the display in Bergamo.Â*
The Reds are yet to concede a goal in the Champions League so far this term and have been without Virgil van Dijk.
Â*Rhys Williams was handed his first start in the competition and didn’t put a foot wrong against an opposition renowned for their attacking play and ability to score goals.Â*
Between the sticks, Alisson Becker impressed with a number of smart saves and his decisiveness when coming off his goalline. Trent Alexander-Arnold also chipped in with an assist.
Liverpool were excellent – in both boxes.
Well positioned in Group D
Liverpool are going at a club-record pace in the Champions League group stages.Â*
They remain well on course to reach the knockout stages for the fourth straight year.
This is the first time ever that the Reds have won their three openers in the competition as they now sit five points clear of second-placed AFC Ajax.Â*
Atalanta arrive at Anfield following the international break as Ajax then come to Merseyside in matchday five.Â*
Bring it on.
Italian joy
After the defeats at Napoli in the past two seasons, Liverpool supporters may have had qualms about facing an Italian side once again. Those worries will have alleviated not long into the second half.Â*
The 5-0 win is the biggest ever by an English club away to Italian opposition in European competition.
It also represents Klopp’s first Champions League victory in Italy, having lost in each of his five previous visits to the country before Tuesday’s result.Â*
Genk, Salzburg, Ajax and now Atalanta – Klopp’s men have won all four of their last group-stage away matches.
More...