Liverpool have a 100% record in this season’s Champions League. Jürgen Klopp will be hoping to maintain this strong start and go further than the side did last season, though he can point to an unfortunate injury costing him the tie against Atletico Madrid. This week, Liverpool can capitalise on the attacking approach of Atalanta and make their greatest strength their greatest weakness.
Liverpool strong start
The Reds had one of the toughest starts imaginable when they had to journey to Amsterdam to take on Ajax at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Despite having to field a makeshift defence, the Reds came through the tie unscathed – taking home three points after working hard for a 1-0 win.
The second matchday saw the Reds unconvincingly beat FC Midtjylland. In what should’ve been a routine affair, the hosts made hard work of it as they beat the Danish champions 2-0 at Anfield.
Who are Atalanta?
Last season Atalanta reached the quarter finals of the Champions League, scoring a mountain of goals along the way.
The Italian side were eventually knocked out by PSG in dramatic fashion with the Parisians scoring twice in injury time to snatch the tie.
Atalanta also had a strong campaign domestically, finishing third in Serie A and scoring 95 goals along the way – the most any side has managed in the Italian top flight for 60 years.
Liverpool counter Atalanta
Atalanta are a high octane attacking side. They score plenty of goals and aren’t shy of committing bodies forward.
Liverpool can capitalise on this Atalanta approach. The Reds are one of the greatest counter attacking sides in the world.
When you often come up against low blocks, you have to be effective on the rare occasions that your opposition venture out – this has seen Jürgen Klopp’s side become utterly devastating on the counter.
Given that Atalanta are sure to come out all gun’s blazing, Klopp will be hoping to turn this approach against them – breaking away with pace whenever the Italian’s lose the ball.
It’ll be a high scoring affair, we’re confident we’ll score more though.
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