Liverpool team vs Atalanta confirmed as Cody Gakpo and Alisson in and Darwin Núñez dropped

Liverpool has set itself a big challenge in Europe once again, and this time, it doesn't have the power of Anfield to help get it over the line. Away in Bergamo against Atalanta, the Reds need to win by three goals in 90 minutes just to force extra-time.

A big problem all through the season has been conceding the first goal and while that has often been the catalyst for a comeback, against Atalanta and then Crystal Palace, Liverpool has been unable to recover.

Today's game feels like one where anything other than an early goal to go ahead would make overturning the deficit even closer to impossible. Gianluca Scamacca got a brace on Merseyside and Mario Pašalić added a third, and Liverpool will need to adjust much better to the man-marking system that Gian Piero Gasperini deploys this time.

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That seemed to bamboozle the Reds players but they now at least have 90 minutes worth of experience playing against it as it plots an unlikely place in the last four of the competition. Jürgen Klopp has selected the side to take on that almighty task.

Klopp had an almost fully-fit squad to choose from, meaning the German had some big decisions to make on what could be his final European outing with the Reds. Among them was whether to retain Alisson as he returns to full sharpness, despite this generally being Caoimhín Kelleher's competition. Here's the confirmed team news, along with who some of our Liverpool.com writers would have selected.

Confirmed Liverpool XI vs Atalanta: Alisson; Robertson, Van Dijk, Konaté, Alexander-Arnold; Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai; Díaz, Gakpo, Salah.

Matt Addison - Cody Gakpo has to come in

Liverpool just has to go for it here and hope for the best in terms of progressing through to the semi-finals. If the Reds are clinical and manage not to go behind for once, it is still just about plausible that they could win by enough goals to at least force extra-time.

Alisson Becker will be in goal and the back four only has one decision in it for me. Trent Alexander-Arnold should start and the only question is whether Ibrahima Konaté can start a third game in a row. I'd perhaps expect Jarell Quansah to come in.

In midfield, my first-choice picks all play. I've been very clear for a while now that Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones are the best three that Liverpool can pick. That's the best balance and gets all three of the best players in that position into the starting team, though I'd not leave it as long as Klopp did against Crystal Palace to bring on Harvey Elliott.

In the attack, Cody Gakpo comes in for me. Mohamed Salah is a certainty and then — assuming that Diogo Jota isn't quite ready to start yet — it's a toss-up between Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz. I'll go with Díaz and have Núñez to come off the bench on the hour mark. It's a strong team but we're at the point in the season where there is no point thinking too much about rotation.

My starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Díaz

Predicted scoreline: 2-2 draw.

One thing to watch: Can Liverpool actually score first instead of going behind?

Liam Prenderville - Jota gets the nod

The Reds have to go on the offensive but cannot afford to be too gung-ho from the off as a goal for Atalanta would all but kill the tie off. Trent Alexander-Arnold has to come in after his appearance off the bench against Crystal Palace, while I am going for Joe Gomez over Jarell Quansah in central defense.

Harvey Elliott has been pushing for a start in recent weeks and just get the nod ahead of Curtis Jones in the Liverpool midfield. Alexis Mac Allister has proven this season that he is more than capable of playing the No.6 role and offers more on the ball than Wataru Endō.

Klopp has all of his attacking options available so it is pretty much three from five to start. Mohamed Salah has to get the nod while Luis Díaz has been a constant threat on the left in recent weeks. In the central role, I am going for Diogo Jota. He may not be fit enough to complete 90 minutes but he remains Liverpool's best finisher and you would expect there to be chances. That leaves Cody Gakpo and Darwin Núñez primed to make an impact off the bench.

My starting XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Elliott; Salah, Jota, Díaz

Predicted scoreline: 3-1 to Liverpool.

One thing to watch: Can the Reds keep a clean sheet and force extra-time?