"The bench doesn't have school tomorrow", "Made my year" - Liverpool fans thrilled 3 stars return for UEL clash vs Atalanta
Liverpool trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, and Stefan Bajcetic have made Jurgen Klopp's matchday squad to face Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League tonight.
Alexander-Arnold, Jota, and Bajcetic have all been named on the bench for the Reds' home clash with the Serie A side. The Merseysiders host Gian Piero Gasperini's side at Anfield (April 11).
Liverpool are viewed as favorites amid a stellar season which will be Klopp's last. His side have already won the Carabao Cup and can finish his reign off with a treble. They're challenging for the Premier League title and in the Europa League quarterfinals.
Klopp has named a strong starting XI, but his bench has fans mostly excited.
Caimohin Kelleher starts in goal with Alisson Becker still out injured.
Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Konstantinos Tsimkas are in defense.
Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, and Wataru Endo have been selected in midfield.
The in-form Darwin Nunez is joined in attack by Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo.
Klopp's bench is one of the strongest you're likely to see in a European game. Mohamed Salah, Jota, Alexander-Arnold, and Dominik Szoboszlai are options for their manager to turn to.
One fan jokingly alluded to the bench not consisting of its usual academy starlets:
"The bench doesn't have school tomorrow."
Another fan was delighted to see the strong bench:
"Seeing them names back, even sat on the bench has literally made my year. Into these Reds."
Here's how other fans on X (formerly Twitter) reacted to Klopp's team selection against Atalanta:
"Trent, Jota and Bajcetic on the bench let's go," one fan wrote.
"Just looked at the bench and smiled, Jota, Trent and Baj are back," another fan posted.
"What a team! What a bench!" one fan stated.
"I used to pray for times like this," another fan wrote.
Atalanta's Gianluca Scamacca is wary of facing Liverpool who he deems 'one of Europe's strongest sides'
Liverpool are touted as one of the favorites to win the Europa League amid a stellar run of results in the competition. Klopp's men destroyed Sparta Prague 11-2 on aggregate in the last 16.
Atalanta are underdogs in this tie but possess several familiar faces including Gianluca Scamacca. The Italian striker joined La Dea from West Ham United last summer for £21.5 million including add-ons.
Scamacca talked up Liverpool ahead of his side's visit to Anfield by labeling them as one of Europe's strongest teams. He said (via Football Italia):
"We will go there absolutely with the aim of competing and to try and get through to the next round. Liverpool are one of the strongest sides in Europe, they have plenty of different strengths."
Scamacca will be up against the in-form Van Dijk and Konate who's been in fine form this season. The Italy international has enjoyed a career renaissance at Atalanta and has 11 goals in 32 games across competitions.