SAN FRANCISCO, November 03, (THEWILL) –Â Diogo Jota’s impressive start to life in Liverpool’s colours continued on Tuesday. The Portuguese winger scored a hat-trick as Liverpool thrashed Atalanta 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League Group D fixture.
Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp picked Jota ahead of the out-of-sorts Roberto Firmino for the tie and the Portuguese strengthened his claim to a regular starting berth with three brilliantly taken goals in Bergamo.
Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah and Senegalese winger Sadio Mane also got on the scoresheet as the men from Anfield took complete control of Group D with a thoroughly convincing away win over another of their supposed rivals for top spot.
A clash between two of Europe’s most free-scoring sides was always going to produce chances, and the start of the first half did not disappoint in that regard.
It was only two minutes when Jota took on the Atalanta defence and forced a smart stop from Atalanta keeper Marco Sportiello, an opening that was quickly followed by Colombian striker Luis Muriel forcing keeper Alisson Becker, in goal for Liverpool, into action at the other end with a deflected strike.
It was Jota who drew first blood. Played in behind by a beautifully weighted Trent Alexander-Arnold pass, the 23-year old showed the confidence of a man who had scored three times in in the last three games. He shrugged Argentine centre back Jose Luis Palomino off and dinked the ball over the onrushing Sportiello.
Then, in the 33rd minute, Jota again latched onto a ball over the top from the English centre back Joseph Gomez. Touching it around his man, the Portuguese lashed an effort in at the near post to make it 2-0.
Just after the restart, Salah’s sprint in behind a wide-open Atalanta defence was picked out by Liverpool’s central midfielder Curtis Jones. The Egyptian finished with customary ruthlessness with a left-footer into the top corner.
Salah then turned provider two minutes later, playing Mane in behind for a beautiful dinked effort that made a mockery of Sportiello’s attempt to close the angle.
Then, it was Jota’s turn to cap a remarkable start to the second period. He beat the keeper to a Mane pass and rounded Sportiello to coolly finish from distance.
Atalanta tried to muster a response when Colombian striker Duvan Zapata hammered the inside of the post after leaving defender Joe Gomez for dead before drawing a good save from Alisson. And that was how it ended.
Liverpool’s victory give them a handy five-point lead over both Atalanta and Ajax at the top of Group D. The Reds are major favourites to not only progress to the knockout stages but to do so as group winners.
Three goals from four shots mean Jota’s transformation into a clinical finisher with Liverpool is on course. A pass completion rate of just 68.4 per cent shows there are still plenty of areas for further improvement too.
Before the international break, Liverpool have a crucial domestic away tie against title rivals Manchester City on Sunday. Atalanta, meanwhile, welcome Inter Milan to Bergamo the same day.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
