London: Liverpool’s elimination from the Europa League quarter-finals can help them focus on their Premier League title chase, manager Juergen Klopp said.
Trailing 3-0 to Atalanta after the first leg at Anfield, Mohamed Salah’s early penalty in the return match on Thursday gave Liverpool a 1-0 victory in Italy but Klopp’s side went out 3-1 on aggregate.
“Disappointed that we did not go through but not frustrated or angry. Now we can focus on the league and that’s what we will do,” Klopp told reporters.
Salah's form not a concern for Klopp
“We have a few days to recover and then we play Fulham, which will be tricky but we will give our absolute all. That’s our competition now.”
Third-placed Liverpool are level with Arsenal on 71 points but trail on goal difference. Leaders Manchester City have 73 points.
Klopp said he was not concerned about Salah’s form when asked about the forward’s performances in recent games.
“The penalty was super-convincing, a super penalty, then the next chance, that was obviously unlucky but it is not the first time he missed a chance like that,” Klopp added.
“I am not particularly concerned. That’s what strikers do, that’s what happens to strikers, it’s how it is.”
Two vital saves
Olympique de Marseille claimed a penalty shoot-out win over Benfica to reach the semi-finals for the first time in six years after Faris Moumbagna’s late second-half goal levelled the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.
Benfica’s Angel Di Maria missed the first kick of the shoot-out striking the post and goalkeeper Pau Lopez saved Antonio Silva’s effort to hand Marseille the win with all of their penalty takers scoring their first four.
Di Maria earlier had the chance to bring the Portuguese champions closer to victory, but Lopez blocked his header in the first of two vital saves for Marseille in extra time.
“I’m happy and proud. Proud of my players, their spirit, proud of the fans, proud of Marseille. We dream of these nights, we dream of everything,” Marseille coach Jean-Louis Gasset said.
“A lot of players have made sacrifices, made the effort to play in positions that aren’t theirs. We corrected the mistakes we made at Benfica.”
Marseille to meet Atalanta
The hosts broke the deadlock 11 minutes from time through Moumbagna’s close-range header off Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross from the left.
“We’re very happy, especially for the fans. We’ve had a complicated season, but the fans deserve this,” Spanish keeper Lopez told M6.
“We gave everything we had so we’re happy. This time we’ve been lucky enough to win. We’ve got to enjoy it, but we’ve got to focus on the league because we’ve still got a few games to play.”
The Ligue 1 side will take on Atalanta in the semi-finals, who went down 1-0 at home to Liverpool but progressed with a 3-1 aggregate win after their shock victory at Anfield last week.
