Press conferenceJürgen Klopp: We have to show a reaction against Palace - and we will

The Reds suffered a 3-0 defeat against Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Anfield on Thursday, their first home loss for more than a year.

They do, however, have a chance to respond quickly when they welcome the Eagles to Merseyside on Sunday as the race for the title resumes.

Speaking after the clash with Atalanta, Klopp was asked how he can ensure the disappointment of that result is not carried into the next match.

“First and foremost, I cannot ensure that, never could,” the boss told reporters. “But still it is the job I have to do.

“I don’t think it’s a general low point, even when you can see it like that as well – it was performance-wise a low point. The good thing about a really bad performance is that it’s easy to play better. So we should start from there.

“First and foremost, this tonight must feel bad, and it does. I told the boys, ‘Take it home, nobody will sleep great and then tomorrow we come together.’ The boys who started recover and all the others get a proper session and then you go from there. And then on Saturday we will start preparing for Palace.

“Yes, we have to show a reaction. Definitely, 100 per cent, that is clear. But I cannot plan the reaction 20 minutes after the game. I will think about that. It is now not the first time in my life that I lost a football game, unfortunately.

“And yes, we will show a reaction, I can promise.”

One positive to emerge from Thursday’s game was the return of Diogo Jota, whose appearance as a second-half substitute was his first since suffering a knee injury in February.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was also part of the Reds’ squad, but Klopp says he will need to be more careful with his vice-captain, who has also been sidelined since February, also due to a knee problem.

“There was no chance to play Trent [against Atalanta],” Klopp said. “He was on the bench because we were allowed to put 23 players into the squad.

“He had two sessions. Diogo didn’t have more really but the information from the medical department is [he was a] step ahead, so he can play a little bit longer.

“There is no pressure [to protect players returning from injury], it is just the situation. My job is now not the easiest job in the world, not the most difficult as well, but it’s about when you have players you need to make sure that you get them together on the pitch and that it works out somehow.

“In different line-ups we have played really good football this year, [but] today we didn’t. So that’s the reason why we lost. That can be the headline ‘It didn’t work out’, then it’s absolutely fine and right.

“But we need them all and we need them all aggressive, fit, going for it, a bit angry, full of desire, stuff like this, and not so much dealing with your own situation, like, ‘I’ve no rhythm, I didn’t play for ages’, stuff like this.

“You have to try to avoid that. I think Diogo was absolutely fine tonight [for] 20 minutes, it helped him a lot and now we will see what we can do from there.”