Europa League: Van Dijk Gives Brutally Honest Response, Explains Why Liverpool Lost 3:0 to Atalanta

• Liverpool's home invincibility came to a crashing halt in the Europa League
• The Reds endured a chastening 3-0 defeat at the hands of Serie A side Atalanta
• Defender, Virgil Van Dijk, has given his verdict on how his side fell at Anfield

Virgil Van Dijk has given a breakdown of how Liverpool inexplicably crumbled at Anfield in the first-leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie against Atalanta.

The Reds suffered a 3-0 pummelling in front of a not-so-enthusiastic Anfield crowd, who protested against the increment in season ticket prices for next season.

Atalanta stunned Liverpool with an incisive performance. Ex-West Ham United star Gianluca Scamacca scored twice, and Mario Pasalic also found the back of the net in an exhilarating display.

Van Dijk explains how Liverpool lost to Atalanta

The Reds now face the huge task of overturning the deficit in Italy, and Van Dijk did not hold back when asked about his thoughts on the performance, which he describes as "very disappointing."

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"Obviously, it's not great. A very, very disappointing evening. Too many individual mistakes, and we got punished for it. It feels bad," he began as cited by GOAL.

The Dutchman pointed out what his side must do to forestall the Serie A club's man-marking system, which made it easier for them to carve open Jurgen Klopp's men.

"With the man-marking system they do, we have to do much better. When we have the ball, we have to do better and be much stronger. The spaces were open, and they punished us immediately.

Virgil also stressed the importance of not focusing on the defeat but instead advocating for his side to channelling their efforts for the second leg next week.

"A very disappointing night for all of us, but we can't dwell on it for too long. We need everyone to look forward to another big game.

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Despite the 'hurtful' nature of the results, the 32-year-old expects his side to return to winning ways after failing to attain maximum results in their last two outings across all competitions.

"We have to switch back to getting results. We were wide open. It's more that we conceded the goals because we lost the ball in difficult areas. It hurts. But it can't put us down."

What's next for Van Dijk and Liverpool?

Per Fotmob, Van Dijk and Liverpool will face Crystal Palace this weekend in the Premier League before their crucial return leg against Atalanta on Thursday, April 18.

Fans mock Liverpool after humbling defeat

Sports Brief also reported that Liverpool faced online mockery following their stunning defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League quarterfinals.

Following this unexpected setback, rival fans seized the opportunity to taunt Liverpool on social media platforms.

One particularly vocal fan, @BenopaOnyx1, took pleasure in Liverpool's defeat, highlighting their loss of home invincibility, which was swiftly dealt with by Atalanta.