Your World of Legal Intelligence
 United Kingdom | +44 (0) 20 7284 8080

KOP HOPE FLAGGING

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date12 April 2024
Publication titleDaily Star (England)
NO flags on the Kop, no wind in Liverpool's sails - this was a night when Jurgen Klopp's farewell tour hit some serious turbulence

It was a night when a Premier League mis-step at Old Trafford was followed by a serious European fall at Anfield.

Klopp rested Mo Salah for 45 minutes and watched his chosen ones rest themselves.

With about 15 minutes remaining in the contest, Joe Gomez - with many a team-mate waiting for a delivery into the danger area - took a shot from 25 yards.

Klopp erupted as only an angry Klopp can. Not long after, Mario Pasalic shovelled salt into the Liverpool manager's gaping wound with a tap-in for Atalanta's third. That just about summed up Liverpool's night and Klopp looked almost relieved when referee Halil Umut Meler blew the final whistle.

Meler was the official who was punched by a Turkish club president this season.

There was no chance of owner John W Henry landing one on the official - probably because there is no chance of Henry attending a match at Anfield nowadays.

When he does rock up next, he is unlikely to get a warm welcome from a Kop that downed its flags in protest at next season's ticket prices.

Minus the banners, Anfield did not have a typically European-night feel to it and that probably contributed to a shoddy Liverpool start.

After Harvey Elliott's mistake, Pasalic sidefooted an absolute sitter into Caoimhin Kelleher's face and, soon after, Gianluca Scamacca also found the keeper when the net was an easier target.

Not that Liverpool were bereft of early opportunities. Darwin Nunez wasted a smart pass from Curtis Jones with a trademark miss and Elliott managed to hit both bar and post with the same left-footed strike.

But, in truth, it was an entirely uninspiring first half from Klopp's team, characterised by a plague of misplaced passes. It was hardly a shock when the tidy Italians nosed in front before the break.

Davide Zappacosta coasted into space behind the ineffective Kostas

Tsimikas and the pull-back was met by Scamacca, whose strike was helped across the line by Kelleher's.

And Gian Piero Gasperini...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT