Liverpool vs Atalanta LIVE!

Atalanta progressed to the Europa League semi-finals despite losing 1-0 to Liverpool on Thursday as they triumphed 3-1 on aggregate to move one step closer to a first ever European final for the Serie A side.

Atalanta had stunned the Premier League club 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final last week at Anfield, levelling another huge blow to Liverpool's dreams of a fairytale ending in manager Juergen Klopp's final season. Liverpool got off to a quick start in Italy as talisman Mohammed Salah scored from the penalty spot in the seventh minute, fuelling hope that a remarkable comeback was in the making.

But while Klopp's men looked little like the shaky side who were steamrolled by Atalanta at Anfield, Gian Piero Gasperini's team held on in what the manager had called the biggest game in the team's history to earn a semi-final place. Read the game back below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis.

Liverpool vs Atalanta latest updates

• GOAL! Salah penalty gives Reds early lead

Full-time!

21:54 , Alex Young

94min: That’s it! Atalanta march on as Liverpool’s season continues to unravel.

21:51 , Alex Young

91min: Three minutes added on as Atalanta head for the corner.

21:47 , Alex Young

85min: Liverpool just simply not quick enough. Out of idea and, soon, out of Europe.

21:40 , Alex Young

80min: Danns is on for Robertson.

21:36 , Alex Young

76min: Scamacca and Ederson are replaced by De Ketelaere and Pasalic. Like for like.

21:34 , Alex Young

72min: Klopp is very lively on the touchline, his team not showing much urgency. Nunez has lost the ball at least four times.

21:28 , Alex Young

68min: Nunez’s first involvement sees him take a tumble on the edge of the area, but nothing doing.

21:27 , Alex Young

66min: Salah, Diaz and Szoboszlai are off, replaced by Jota, Nunez and Elliott are on.

21:25 , Alex Young

64min: Liverpool still huffing and puffing. Changes needed from Klopp.

21:19 , Alex Young

58min: Another chance. Alexander-Arnold sends a long, hanging free kick delivery at Van Dijk, but it’s straight at Musso.

21:17 , Alex Young

57min: Gakpo and Szoboszlai combine brilliantly to tee up Salah for a simple slot home, but the latter is offside... and it’s saved anyway.

21:15 , Alex Young

55min: Liverpool just can’t quite get the final ball right. This time Gakpo tries to whip in a cross but it’s easily cut out and drops harmlessly to the keeper.

21:12 , Alex Young

50min: A mix up in the Atalanta box almost gifts Liverpool an opening as the keeper comes for a long ball forward only to see a team-mate head it over him before mopping up.

Second half!

21:05 , Alex Young

46min: A big second half begins.

21:02 , Alex Young

Liverpool could do with another quick start. Second half is almost upon us.

20:59 , Alex Young

Can Liverpool get the job done? Their odds have shortened (via OLBG).

To qualify

• Atalanta: 3/10

• Liverpool: 12/5

Still a long way to go for the Reds.

Half-time!

20:48 , Alex Young

48min: That’s your lot for the first half. Liverpool still need two goals.

20:48 , Alex Young

45min: Two minutes added on.

20:45 , Alex Young

44min: Alexander-Arnold hits the wall with a free kick, around 30 yards out, the ball comes back in and Mac Allister is also denied with a block in the area.

20:44 , Alex Young

43min: Diaz booked for dissent, asking for another player to be booked.

NO GOAL!

20:42 , Alex Young

41min: Atalanta think they have a valuable goal but Koopmeiners is a good yard offside when picking up the ball on the edge of the area.

20:40 , Alex Young

40min: Meanwhile, on the other end of the scale, an awful, awful miss from Salah!

He tries to lob the keeper and sends the effort 10 yards wide.

20:39 , Alex Young

38min: Alexander-Arnold has been in the mix of everything so far.

20:38 , Alex Young

34min: Liverpool pushing Atalanta further and further back but the hosts keep their shape so well. They do not look uncomfortable.

20:33 , Alex Young

31min: Liverpool are rushing things a tad. Salah and Gakpo do brilliantly to combine up the pitch but the last pass into the area is easily cut out.

20:30 , Alex Young

25min: Atalanta starting to see more of the ball. Liverpool need to maintain momentum.

20:23 , Alex Young

20min: Salah does brilliantly on the left before cutting back for Alexander-Arnold to float to the back post. Gakpo nods down but Mac Allister cannot convert.

20:19 , Alex Young

17min: It’s all Liverpool and Atalanta can’t get near them. Not sure how either team keeps this up for 90 minutes.

20:15 , Alex Young

14min: My word, Atalanta almost equalise and force a superb save from Alisson... but the offside flag is up. Scamacca went too early.

20:14 , Alex Young

13min: A very smart touch from Gakpo almost releases Diaz into the area, but the weight of the pass is a tad too heavy and the keeper gets there first.

So close.

20:11 , Alex Young

10min: This game is being played at a ferocious pace.

20:10 , Alex Young

The penalty looked a bit harsh at first glance but Alexander-Arnold’s cross did hit Ruggeri’s arm.

Game on!

GOAL!

20:08 , Alex Young

7min: Salah makes no mistake from 12 yards. Klopp unmoved on the touchline.

PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!

20:06 , Alex Young

5min: A dream start for Liverpool!

20:04 , Alex Young

3min: Liverpool, as expected, straight on the front foot. Gakpo tries to make in-roads through the centre but is quickly tripped.

Kick-off!

20:00 , Alex Young

1min: Here we go!

19:55 , Alex Young

Here come the teams, under a beautiful sky.

19:47 , Alex Young

Not long to go now. Kick-off in just over 10 minutes.

Alisson previews the game

19:43 , Alex Young

"The way the opponent played at our home showed their quality and how tough it will be this game.

"But we come here with the goal to improve our performance in respect of the last game, trying to play better as a team which we didn't do in the last match and try to avoid some mistakes and try to do better the things we have to do better.

"Then we will see how the result of that will be. I think this game will be a different kettle of fish but we need to do a much better job than in the first leg.

"They play 11v11 man-marking all over the pitch and when you play against a team who do that you need to make sure you are willing to put in the hard work and run.

"If you don't do that it is pointless even going out there to play in the first place."

19:37 , Alex Young

A good omen for Liverpool?

Atlanta have also only lost one home game in the competition's history (bare with me) though that was also a Europa League quarter-final second leg.

19:31 , Alex Young

Not a bad night for it.

Klopp: Atalanta challenge different to Barcelona comeback

19:22 , Alex Young

Jurgen Klopp knows all about heroic comebacks in European competition but even their barnstorming fightback against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League will not prepare them for tonight’s task in Atalanta.

Klopp's side suffered a resounding 3-0 home loss in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final and travel to Italy with a mountain to climb.

While they also trailed Barcelona by a 3-0 scoreline in the Champions League semi-final five years ago, their 4-0 victory in the return fixture came with the noisy backing of a vociferous home crowd, while Thursday's atmosphere will be very different.

"The result is similar definitely. The performance not really," Klopp said yesterday.

"We lost 3-0 in Barcelona and people didn't know how, now we lost 3-0 at home and are away, it's a massive difference. We are here and will try to win the game, that's all. That's what we should do.

"(Last week) we had really good moments but they completely deserved to win. Let's start with a much better performance and try to win the game and we will see how much time is left at the end."

19:09 , Alex Young

So, Atalanta make two changes from last week's first leg. Kolasinac, formerly of Arsenal, shakes off an injury to start, as does Miranchuk. Pasalic and De Ketelaere drop out.

Chelsea fans will recognise wing-back Zappacosta on the right.

Liverpool make six switches from the first leg as Alisson, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson come into defence.

Nunez and Jota are on the bench, with Gakpo partnering Diaz and Salah in the front three.

Atalanta XI

19:01 , Alex Young

...here’s how the hosts look!

Teams in full

18:57 , Alex Young

Atalanta have not confirmed their team yet, but UEFA has.

Atalanta XI: Musso, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac, Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri, Koopmeiners, Miranchuk, Scamacca

Subs: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Toloi, Holm, Pasalic, Toure, Lookman, De Ketelaere, Bakker, Adopo, Hateboer, Bonfanti

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz

Subs: Adrian, Kelleher, Gomez, Endo, Nunez, Elliott, Jota, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Clark, Danns Quansah

Liverpool XI

18:47 , Alex Young

Here we go.

18:40 , Alex Young

No place for Jota or Nunez in the starting lineup. Confirmed XI to come.

18:27 , Alex Young

It sounds like Gakpo starts for Liverpool tonight. Perhaps Klopp isn’t doing entirely full strength after all.

18:18 , Alex Young

It's do or die for the Reds tonight.They must become the first team in UEFA Cup and Europa League history to overturn a three-goal first-leg home defeat to advance.

You wouldn’t rule it out...

Score prediction

18:08 , Alex Young

Liverpool will be out for blood after several disappointing results in a row, although a three-goal deficit away from home will surely be too much to overcome.

Liverpool to win, 2-1 (agg 4-2).

Latest odds

18:01 , Alex Young

Here’s how the bookies see tonight going, for a win inside 90 minutes.

• Atalanta 7/2

• Draw 16/5

• Liverpool 4/9

Understandably, Liverpool are all the way out to 10/1 to win the competition.

• Leverkusen 5/4

• Atalanta 9/2

• Roma 6/1

• Benfica 9/1

• Liverpool 10/1

• Milan 12/1

• Marseille 16/1

• West Ham 25/1

Odds via Betfair.

Liverpool team news

17:53 , Alex Young

It remains to be seen whether or not Klopp will go completely full strength for the trip to Italy, particularly with his team needing to catch up domestically when they travel to Fulham this weekend ahead of a midweek Merseyside derby.

He has, however, previously vowed to take this competition seriously and the return of injured players does help Liverpool’s cause.

Alisson made his comeback in the Palace defeat and was on pre-match press duty in Italy, so will likely continue in goal.

Conor Bradley came off injured on Sunday and has not travelled, meaning Trent Alexander-Arnold will likely make his first start since February this evening.

Diogo Jota is available again too, although the game comes too soon for Stefan Bajcetic despite his recent return to action.

Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Ben Doak are all still long-term absentees for Liverpool, meanwhile.

Atalanta team news

17:44 , Alex Young

Atlanta will be without Giorgio Scalvini and ex-Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac is a doubt for Atalanta.

Marten de Roon should return and Davide Zappacosta, the former Chelsea right-back, should line up on the flank.

Otherwise it is a case of as you were for Atalanta.

How to watch

17:38 , Alex Young

TV channel: In the UK, tonight’s game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1. Coverage starts at 7pm BST ahead of an 8pm kick-off.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers will also be able to watch on a live stream online via the Discovery+ app or website for only £30.99 per month. Click here for more details.

Welcome

17:29 , Alex Young

Good evening and welcome to the Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Europa League clash between Liverpool and Atalanta.

The Reds face a huge task to reach the semi-finals after losing 3-0 at Anfield last week. In fact, no team in UEFA Cup and Europa League history has ever overturned a three-goal first-leg home defeat to advance.

That would be a miracle Jurgen Klopp could do on his farewell tour. Kick-off in Italy is at 8pm BST. Stick with us.