Atalanta played with 3-4-1-2 line up.
Liverpool played with 4-3-3 line up.
Both teams could defend each other in all spaces with 1 vs 1.
So both teams hadn’t any numerical advantage. This time other factors had influence.
Atalanta couldn’t make game from the wings or centre. Liverpool’s forwards and midfielders took position in Pasalic’s and Feuler’s between and they could cover them very well with 6 players. So Atalanta couldn’t make game from centre.
This time one of Pasalic or Freuler closed to the defense line and one of Toloi or Djimsiti went to the wings. So they could make game from wings now because they had numerical advantage in the wings with 2 vs 1. But it didn’t work because this time one of Wijnaldum or Jones (if Toloi supported Wijnaldum, if Djimsiti supported Jones, which one’s position was close to the opponent’s right or left stopper) closed to wings and covered one of them. And they got numerical balance in the wings with 2 vs 2.
In the set attacks, they remained 1 vs 2 in the wings. Hateboer and Mojica covered by the opponent’s full backs and wingers.
Toloi or Djimsiti supported attacks from wings (if the ball was close to the right wing, Toloi supported. If the ball was close to the left wing, Djimsiti supported) but this time they remained just 2 vs 2 in the wings and again, they hadn’t numerical advantage.
And when Djimsiti or Toloi supported the attack, this time they couldn’t come back to the defense line quickly for stop Liverpool’s
transition attacks and Liverpool’s forwards could find more space in the transition attacks.
In this position, Toloi is supporting the attack. When Liverpool had the ball, he remained in the forward.
Then Liverpool is attacking dangerously. Palomino has to close Jota and this time between Palomino’s and Djimsiti’s distance becomes far and Wijnaldum is running to the opponent’s behind and using this space.
I said both teams could defend each other in all spaces with 1 vs 1. These 1 vs 1 matches brought disadvantages for Atalanta.
Atalanta’s defense line came forward and tried to narrow the space. But this time, because stoppers matched 1 vs 1 against Liverpool’s forwards, Liverpool’s forwards could run to the opponent’s behind smartly and Atalanta’s defense line couldn’t stop them.
In this position, Jota is covered by Palomino.
Then Jota starts his run to the opposite way. And Palomino can’t catch him. Then Jota scores the goal.
Also Liverpool’s forward line was very mobile so Atalanta’s defense line couldn’t cover them.
In this position, Salah and Mane is trying to find space behind the opponent’s behind. Djimsiti is covering Salah.
But then Salah is changing his way of running and taking the ball free. Djimsiti can’t cover him.
As a result, Liverpool could use Atalanta’s defensive weaknesses.