Anfield reignited the flames of battle and Liverpool played Mohamed Salah's march
On Thursday, Anfield Stadium will face off against Atalanta in a Mars vs. Earth clash between Reds Liverpool and Serie A giants Atalanta.
Liverpool are eager to reach the top of Europe once again
Liverpool scored 11 goals in the Europa League round of 16 to advance to the quarter-finals. They have scored at least two goals in their last five games in all competitions and are in full attacking power. It is worth mentioning that Liverpool have a chance to become the second team to score at least four goals in five games in a single season in the Europa League (formerly known as the UEFA Cup) after Benfica in 1964-65.
However, Liverpool have suffered a setback in the Premier League recently, with two consecutive draws ceding their place at the top of the table to Arsenal. However, the Reds remain strong in European competition and will be keen to lift the Europa League trophy again in the final stages of Jurgen Klopp's tenure.
Can Atalanta continue its dark horse nature?
Atalanta eliminated Ruben Amorim's Sporting to advance to the quarter-finals. They relied on the excellent performances of strikers Lukman and Scamacca to reverse the 1-0 deficit.
Atalanta's recent form hasn't been great, though, with just two wins in their last nine matches. They also suffered a shock defeat to bottom-placed Cagliari last weekend. While Atalanta are known for their flashy offense, their firepower has waned recently.
It should be noted that Atalanta have failed in the last two European quarter-finals. Will they be able to score away at Anfield and leave the second leg in suspense?
The dialogue between the strong and the strong is bound to be a goal battle. We're fanciing Liverpool to beat Atalanta 3-1 with home advantage and stronger overall strength. However, Atalanta should not be underestimated, as they may be able to exploit the holes in Liverpool's defence to get some goalscoring chances.