Liverpool face harsh reality as genuine Mohamed Salah concern emerges

Forget miracles. Now Liverpool have no option but to cope with a dose of cold, harsh reality as they prepare for the final weeks of Jurgen Klopp’s reign.

The dream of a Europa League final farewell and the Reds boss completing the set of major honours under his tenure may have realistically been extinguished during the harrowing first leg at Anfield a week ago.

But it would be pushing matters to suggest this return in Bergamo pointed to what might have been for Liverpool, despite earning themselves some solace of victory on the night and ending a run of successive defeats.

LFC PLAYER RATINGS: Mohamed Salah worrying and two others really poor vs Atalanta

AS IT HAPPENED: Atalanta vs Liverpool score updates and analysis

There had been the early hope offered by Mohamed Salah notching a penalty, with those looking for omens quick to point out the minute in which it was converted – the seventh – was the same as when Divock Origi opened the scoring on that famous night against Barcelona five years ago.

The outcome of this tie, though, was settled long before the final whistle, with Atalanta content to play the percentages in the second half as the early enthusiasm and creativity from Klopp’s side began to wane. Indeed, Liverpool failed to create a chance of note after the break.

While Klopp was keen before the match to play down comparisons with the Barcelona fightback, he did repeat his message that, should Liverpool fall short, they should “fail in the most beautiful way”.

This was not that. In fact, in some ways, it was downright ugly. But it could easily have been different had Salah converted an easy chance shortly before half-time when released by Cody Gakpo. That, though, encapsulated another poor performance from the