[Getty Images]
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld says Jurgen Klopp’s team never looked like overturning the 3-0 aggregate score at Atalanta in their Europa League quarter-final despite Mohamed Salah’s early penalty giving them a foothold in the tie.
“It was a very disappointing game yesterday and we did have hope,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“We had done it before with losing 3-0 away at Barcelona and then winning 4-0 at home. It all looked good with that early penalty and the big chance with Mo and it could have been 2-0 by half-time. It could have been a different story but unfortunately it wasn’t to happen.”
Westerveld believes Liverpool’s players were reluctant to take risks for fear of conceding more goals in Italy.
“I am at a lot of games at Anfield,” he said. “It looks like this season Liverpool give away a lot of chances.
“Like the games against Manchester United, for example, when we played so well and had so many chances and gave away goals. It looked like the players were in doubt of giving the ball away.
“They lacked a little bit of energy that we have had in recent weeks and the energy just slipped away.
“The last couple of games in the Premier League have been so hard. Physically, they didn’t look fresh yesterday either.”
More reaction from 02’23’00 on BBC Sounds
