Jürgen Klopp explains that after Atalanta’s hat-trick he chose Diogo Jota over Roberto Firmino

Jürgen Klopp paid special tribute to Diogo Jota when the £ 45 million man sparked a riot in Italy to show that the money was well spent.

The summer signing achieved a great Champions League hat trick against Atalanta to give Liverpool complete control of their group and his manager purred afterwards.

“Tonight it made sense to use the good shape Diogo was in and it was clear how Atalanta was playing. Diogo’s skills help,” said Klopp.

“He used his form in an incredible way and played a great, great game.

“But I don’t think any system could have defended us tonight. Sadio, Mo and Diogo, how they play and the support they got from the others.

“It wasn’t about the system, it was about the way we play. Excellent.”

Jota was only the third player in Liverpool’s glorious European history to score a hat trick away – after Michael Owen twice and Sadio Mane when the Reds put on an impressive performance.

After the 5-0 win against Manchester City, Klopp had a headache over the weekend after dumping Roberto Firmino to achieve a brilliant front-three look. But he insisted that this was the right problem.

“Good performance never gives me a headache,” he added.

“But the world is in a really bad place sometimes, if someone’s shining right now, we’re talking about another player right away and I have to explain right away why he’s on the team.

“We wouldn’t even be in the Champions League if Bobby Firmino weren’t with us. He’ll be on the team and he’s one of us.

“A lot of people in the world ask what makes Liverpool so special. I would say Bobby Firmino plays.

“It is important for us that we have over 11 – and tonight Diogo, but that says nothing about Bobby and has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I have a headache.

“I’m more than happy with the way the guys played tonight. They were amazing.”

Klopp also reserved special praise for the teenager Rhys Williams, who denied his tender years, to produce a composed performance in the heart of the defense in the absence of Virgil van Dijk.

He played alongside Joe Gomez and created the 35th starting partnership on the central defensive in Klopp’s reign. It was superb and the crib said, “I couldn’t be happier for Rhys.

“Rhys was exceptional. You should see him in the locker room, you couldn’t get the smile off his face, it would be impossible and it’s really great to see.

“I can’t imagine being 19 years old and playing my second adult game in the Champions League against Zapata – it’s incredible.

“I would be nervous as hell and the boys are not obvious.”

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