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Jürgen Klopp was never going to take Jamie Carragher tip as Liverpool decision now even clearer

Liverpool’s season is in serious danger of fizzling out. The Premier League title race cannot be declared over while the margins remain so tight, but the Reds are relying on favors even more than before.

Just as troublingly, it seems pretty optimistic to expect Liverpool will take care of the remaining fixtures on its end of the bargain. Something seems to have been extinguished in this Jürgen Klopp side over the past few weeks, and while it could yet be relit, the title prospects appear to be slim.

Meanwhile, the Europa League odds shifted dramatically last Thursday, when Atalanta came to Anfield and won 3-0 against the team that had started the night as favorite to win the whole competition. It goes without saying that it’s a long way back in that tie now.

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And in one sense, Jamie Carragher got immediate and unwanted vindication for his post-match thoughts. He caused a stir when he took to X after the Atalanta defeat and suggested Klopp could now rest players in the second leg to boost its chances in the Premier League.

Given the hangover that extended into the Crystal Palace game, it’s hard to dispute the disadvantages that come with Thursday night football. Had Liverpool found a way to win today, the temptation to follow Carragher’s advice and effectively put all the eggs in the Premier League basket would have been strong.

But Klopp would never have done it. A cornerstone of his incredible era has been unwavering belief in his players, and regardless of the circumstances, he would have sent out a team in Bergamo that he felt gave the best chance of sending Liverpool through to the semi-finals having secured another famous European comeback.

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Now, that’s more important than ever. It’s strange to say it, but the Europa League probably looks as though it is the likelier route to another trophy for Klopp before he signs off. At the very least, it’s still in Liverpool’s hands, not reliant on Manchester City and Arsenal dropping points.

There can be no doubt that when Liverpool faces Atalanta in Italy, the team has to push all thoughts of the weekend’s game against Fulham to the side. Leaving nothing on the pitch is a minimum requirement — that’s always true for Klopp, even if the players have fallen short of that standard over the last couple of matches.

In a best-case scenario, Liverpool does the improbable, turning the tie around and instantly becoming the favorite to win the whole tournament again. That in turn could even spark a Premier League revival, with confidence and belief looking more important than injuries and fatigue over the last couple of fixtures.

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And even if Atalanta progresses as expected, Liverpool can restore some much-needed pride by going down swinging. While the Premier League has slipped way out of Klopp’s hands, his team needs to get its mentality back if it is to have any chance of capitalizing on favors.

So Klopp must ignore Carragher’s tip, as he would have done anyway. When Liverpool next lines up, it will be giving everything to keep its Europa League hopes alive, and that may yet have an unlikely double benefit.

Liverpool.com says: To be fair to Carragher, he clarified his remarks afterwards, saying that he was never proposing that Klopp plays the kids. He saw it as a chance to hand minutes to returning players, and that still holds true.

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But if there was ever any question of Klopp prioritizing the Premier League, that’s out of the question now. He needs to be all-in against Atalanta.

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