Klopp hails defensive resilience in Atalanta victory

Jurgen Klopp has lavished praise in Liverpool’s defence after they produced a third straight clean sheet in Europe after thrashing Atalanta 5-0 on Wednesday evening.

In a all-round display which was arguably Liverpool’s best since they returned to the playing arena from the COVID-19 hiatus back in June, Klopp's men cashed in on some poor Atalanta defending like they were playing best real money online casinos. 

Diogo Jota continued his fine run of form by grabbing a hat-trick while Mo Salah and Sadio Mane scored a goal each.

While there has no question of the quality that the Reds possesses in the final third, it has been the defence which has been called into question of late.

So often the bedrock of success in the past two years, a catalogue of injures to the colossal Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson, Joel Matip and fill-in centra defender Fabinho have meant that Jurgen Klopp and his assistants have had to adapt quickly.

It has meant that the likes of Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips who in normal circumstances would be given games in the domestic cups ,have been thrust into the limelight for big games in the Premier League and the Champions League.

Speaking after the game(per the Official site), Klopp was bursting with pride with the development of the 19 year-old, who he said knows no fear.

“I cannot imagine being 19 years old and playing my second adult professional football game in the Champions League against Muriel and Zapata, or most of the time against Zapata. It’s incredible.

"I would have been nervous like hell. I couldn’t be more happy for Rhys because you should see him in the dressing room – you’d probably need something special to hit the smile out of his face, it’s probably not possible. It’s really great to see".

Phillips had so much fun he may as well have been playing uk casino games. With the absence of Van Dijk who is the unquestionably the leader of the back four, Klopp has called on of Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold to fill that role.

“Defending is obviously a common thing and how the team defended tonight was absolutely incredible.

“When you leave the last line alone, which we did from time to time, not on purpose but because of thinking things are always going well, in the end we win the challenges anyway. We had to change that obviously because Virg is not there anymore and so that means if you share that responsibility now, if you put it on 10 shoulders instead of on one, then it can work out. 

“But everybody has to step up now because Robbo and Trent and Joe, they are now in charge. Whoever plays with them – if it’s Joel it’s different – but if one of the younger ones plays with them, they are the most experienced and they have to demand and command the things in that line.”