Atalanta 3-0 Everton AS IT HAPPENED: Europa League results and highlights

Atalanta vs Everton: Europa League LIVE scores, updates and highlights from Italy

20:15: Everton manager Ronald Koeman speaking to BT Sport: “A lot went wrong. Except maybe after the first 10 minutes, where he had a little better of the ball and it was more comfortable.

"Ball position was poor but most painful was in the first half - they showed more aggression, they showed more passion. That’s really painful because it starts with that and then you need quality on the ball.

“I ask myself questions on what I was doing wrong against Tottenham, because it’s not how I like to see my team. We can play bad football, we can miss chances, but the commitment and passion they showed in first half was much bigger than we showed.”

ATALANTA 3-0 EVERTON

FT: Thank God that’s over. Everton have been thumped by Italian outfit Atalanta in their opening Europa League group stage clash.

91: Lyon are 1-0 up against Apollon Limassol, who are Everton’s next opponents at Goodison Park. A defeat against the Cypriot side and the European adventure is virtually over.

THREE MINUTES ADDED TIME

90: Sandro plays Mason Holgate through, but his effort is deflected over. The Toffees should have a corner but the referee didn’t see it.

89: Cornelius is slipped through one-on-one with Stekelenburg, but Everton’s No.2 makes a fine save to keep it at 3-0. One of the only players to take any credit away from tonight’s match. Scratch that, the ONLY player.

87: Chris Sutton thinks the 2,500 travelling Everton fans should be offered a full refund from the club. I doubt it’ll happen but it’s the least they can do after this display.

85: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

Atlanta have delivered the final insult by taking their foot off the pedal - and yet they still look more likely to find the net than listless Everton.

The pace of the game has slowed dramatically from the frantic, furious football the Italians unleashed before the break.

But Atlanta are still stroking the ball around with vim and purpose.  And technically, they look on a different level than shoddy Everton.

Koeman has emptied his bench _ there were loud whistles when Rooney was withdrawn. The changes have made little difference.  Everton still look a ramshackle outfit.

83: Arsenal's Europa League tie with Cologne has been delayed by an hour in the interest of fan safety.

Thousands of ticketless Cologne supporters turned up at the Emirates Stadium and those fans with tickets were unable to gain access to the ground. The 60-minute delay was announced inside the stadium with Arsenal "monitoring" the situation.

Don’t worry, my eight-hour shift will be extended with absolutely no monetary reward...

80: Anyone got Romelu Lukaku in their Fantasy Football team? I suggest you make him triple captain on Sunday when Everton visit Old Trafford. Could be a bloodbath if Ronald Koeman doesn’t sort this defence.

77: Everton make their third and final change with Kevin Mirallas coming on to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

75: We’re back underway after a lengthy pause while an Atalanta player received treatment after a twisted knee. It’s all about damage limitations for Ronald Koeman’s side now.

72: I guess in Everton’s defence (and I’m obliged to write this) Atalanta finished fourth in Serie A last season, ahead of Lazio, AC Milan and Fiorentina. They’re no mugs. 

68: Ronald Koeman makes a couple of changes. Sandro Ramirez and Davy Klaassen enter the fray to replace Wayne Rooney and Morgan Schneiderlin. Just the three behind lads, good luck!

65: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

Rooney is playing further up the field in the second half. He forced keeper Berisha into a save at his near post 30 seconds after the restart.

But don't think for one moment, the pendulum has swung Everton's way. It hasn't. Atlanta are still the better side by some distance.

And they should have stretched their lead but Gomez fired over from a promising position and Freuler saw a 20 yard effort skim the bar.

Koeman resisted the temptation to make changes at half time. With an hour gone, he's still to bring someone off the bench. He probably can't decide which three of his 10 outfield players need hooking!

60: Ronald Koeman will be worried about Leighton Baines. The left-back is looking a yard or two (or three...) off the pace recently, and the only left-back at the club!

57: The Blues have a rare opportunity to reduce the deficit, but Sigurdsson’s delivery is easily dealt with. Atalanta respond by striking the bar after a wonderful counter-attacking move.

56: How haven’t Atalanta scored a fourth?! Petagna strolls beyond Baines before cutting the ball back to the unmarked Gomez, who blazes over. Mason Holgate was nowhere to be seen.

55: Vlasic, who doesn’t look like anything out of the ordinary, plays a one-two with Rooney before crossing a little too close to Berisha.

53: Normal service is resumed as Petagna forces a good save from Stekelenburg having been given the freedom of the pitch to take aim.

52: Chris Sutton has made a very good point. I know, I’ve never heard that either. He doesn’t understand what exactly Everton’s style of football is. He’s right. They’ve played nine competitive games this season and I’ve no idea what the plan is.

48: Wow, Everton have had a shot! Wayne Rooney strikes from an acute angle but Berisha blocks and Atalanta break. That’s more positive than the entire first-half from the Toffees.

45: We’re back underway folks. The commentator has just said “things can only get better,” but I’m not sure he’s right… No changes at the break.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

David: One of the most boring Everton sides in living memory, from front to back absolutely nothing about us! Difficult to see this changing

Simon: Something has happened over summer. Players just don't look interested in playing for manager. Time has caught up with Baines & Jags

Becky: FFS, I only went to the kitchen to poach two eggs and it was 3-0 before my toast was ready!

HT: Atalanta have had more shots during this match than Everton have had all season. Serious questions for Ronald Koeman to answer now.

HT: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

The trouble with blogs is you can't undo what you've written earlier. Twenty minutes into this game, I wrote that Everton had quelled Atlanta's early fire and were looking good.

From the moment, I pressed the button on this computer, it's been one-way traffic with the Italian side pummelling their opponents.

And 3-0 is a fair reflection of their superiority. Except for a ten minute spell early on, Everton have been overran by a side for whom everyone looks comfortable on the ball.

Defender Masielio has arguably been their most dangerous attacker - and that's as much an indictment on Everton's non-existent midfield as his own offensive prowess.

Gomez' second goal was a screamer and Cristante displayed excellent control to take Petagna's pass in his stride before sweeping home.

Love to be a fly in the visitors' dressing room right now!

HT: Dire, rubbish, abject, pathetic… pick your own adjective and it still won’t be enough to describe this Everton display.

HT: Everton are put out their misery as referee Vladislav Bezborodov blows the whistle for half-time.

ATALANTA 3-0 EVERTON - CRISTANTE

44: Wow, and you thought it couldn’t get any worse. Cristante adds a third for the home side after collecting a simple cut-back before tucking it into the corner. Everton looking a complete shambles.

ATALANTA 2-0 EVERTON - GOMEZ

41: I was about to write that Everton are lucky to go into the break with a one-goal deficit…

Alejandro Gomez doubles Atalanta’s advantage with an absolute stunner. The winger cuts inside from the left before curling an effort into the top corner.

Everton need half-time, badly!

39: Did you know that Five of Everton's starting XI tonight weren't even born when Atalanta had scored their previous goal in Europe in December 1990? Well, now you do. 

38: Gomez plays a neat one-two before pulling the trigger and seeing his effort gathered. Wayne Rooney then floats one over the top for DCL, but the forward didn’t gamble on the run and it dribbles out.

36: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

How frustrating for Maarten Stekelenburg.

The Dutch keeper is unlikely to play too many Pemier League games this season following the arrival of Jordan Pickford so he wants to make the most of this chance.

Stekelenburg does brilliantly to deny Andrea Masielio but from the resulting corner, the Everton defence fails to pick up the defender who taps home from virtually under the bar.

The goal has been coming with Atlanta dominating the game after a spell of Everton pressure.

Koeman's side will do well to get to half-time just one goal down at this rate. Their midfield is being overrun and they've needed a couple of meaty blocks by Keane and Jagielka to keep the scoreline down.

34: This is so easy for Atalanta. Everton have no pave, imagination or aggression. Masiello, who’s a centre-back, is slipped through and should make it 2-0 but Stekelenburg is quickly off his line to smother.

30: How have Everton responded? Not particularly well. They’ve spent most of the game defending and they continue to be pinned back with Schneiderlin, Rooney and Keane all making blocks.

ATALANTA 1-0 EVERTON - MASIEOLLO

28: There’s the breakthrough, and you can’t say it hasn’t been coming. Moments after Stekelenburg made a tremendous save to deny Petagna, Atalanta have taken the lead. It came from a Gomez corner, and Andrea Masiello is at the back post to mop up after it pings around in the area.

25: The Atalanta fans are signing the most terrifying chant. It’s kind of like the Icelandic clap, except they scream instead of clapping. Shivers down your spine stuff.

24: Wayne Rooney’s defensive contributions shouldn’t be underestimated. He’s made crucial challenges on numerous occasions.

20: Everton are living quite dangerously with these set-pieces. Gomez takes every dead-ball for Atalanta, and he’s pretty good with them, very nearly finding Castagne inside the six-yard box on this occasion.

18: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

It wasn't exactly the start Wayne Rooney would have wanted, bullied off the ball by Hans Hateboer inside two minutes as he tried to run the ball out of play for a goal-kick.

But Rooney's settled down to pull the strings for Everton - and on 13 minutes he shows a touch of class, with an audacious chip which drops just wide.

Moments earlier, Gylfi Sigurdsson stung the fingers of Atlanta keeper Etrit Berisha with a drive from outside the box.

The visitors have quelled Atlanta's early fire and are looking good.

16: DCL finds Sigurdsson in a central area. The Iceland international fakes, switches to his right before firing one straight at the keeper. Rooney then looks for a delicate chip moments later, but it goes narrowly over the bar.

13: This is Everton's ninth game of the season already, so you would think the passing would be sharper than this. Oh, and if you were wondering, there’s 18 EL games to reach the final…

10: The Toffees really are lacking pace in attack. DCL, Rooney, Sigurdsson and Vlasic aren’t exactly rapid, and that’s affording Atalanta to get back in numbers. I imagine we’ll be seeing Sandro and Mirallas at some point this evening.

6: The fast start continues as Michael Keane blocks a decent snapshot for a corner. It’s delivered into the heart of the six-yard box, where Wayne Rooney is waiting to clear. Dominic Calvert-Lewin breaks away but chooses the play the ball inside into a crowd of Atalanta defenders. Sigurdsson was available on the left in acres.

3: For a team that are playing miles away from their home venue, the travelling fans are doing a terrific job of generating a good atmosphere. Atalanta have started the better. Stekelenburg tips a looping cross over the bar and Mason Holgate is fouled during the set-piece. Early warning signs for the visitors.

ATALANTA 0-0 EVERTON

1: We’re underway folks. Beautiful weather, well I thought it was beautiful, and then about a million flares went off in the stands and I can’t see the sky anymore!

17:56: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

Around 2,200 Everton fans are here - though most of them have yet to take their seats inside the stadium.

They've been arriving in Reggio Emilia in dribs and drabs throughout the day with some spending last night in Parma, others in Bologna and a few staying in Bergamo or Milan.

Everton have won three and drawn one of their four games in Europe so far this term but have slipped up in the league lately losing successive games against Chelsea and Tottenham.

Though Ronald Koeman has made six changes from the weekend, he's named a strong bench. Make no mistake about it, he's after a win tonight.

17:53: We’re being treated to punditry royalty tonight with Jermaine Jenas and Martin Keown on BT Sport’s coverage. I know, I’ve got it on mute too…

But the former Tottenham midfielder has highlighted the importance of the competition for Everton and Arsenal.

He said: “Well it’s huge. If you look at how competitive the top four positions are now in the Premier League and how hard it is to achieve that. Manchester United didn’t manage to achieve it last year but look at them now.

“They’re walking out to that Champions League music, all because they lifted that trophy. Not only that, having lifted it, it will be something they can look back on this year that will give them a lot more confidence. 

“Not only going into the Champions League but in the league position as well. It’s massively important.”

17:50: If you saw Everton against Tottenham on Saturday, you’ll know the Toffees need to raise their game to stand a chance of winning this.

Ronald Koeman agrees. He feels his side "didn't play with the right aggression" in the 3-0 home defeat to Spurs, and is glad the opportunity to bounce back has arrived swiftly.

"In that second half (which began with Tottenham scoring their third in the opening few seconds) we lost a lot of belief and confidence. I think we didn't play with the right aggression.

"If you lose the game, if you are not happy with the performance, and you get an opportunity in the next few days, you like to show it. For that, I am really confident about tonight.”

17:45: Oh, we’ve got some fightin’ talk from Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini.

Aside from having the most stereotypically Italian name in existence, Gasperini has warned Everton and Atalanta's other opponents that the Bergamo club are returning to European football full of confidence.

He said: “We are confident. We might not bring a name but we had an excellent season last year and we carry a lot of enthusiasm. Everton are strong in many aspects and we know it is a tough group. But I think the team is ready to play in this group."

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Dave: Heads up to any blues heading to the Mapei Stadium tonight. You can't get in without photo ID! Bring your passports or NO ENTRY.

Ell: Jordan Pickford is a young goalkeeper. The experience of European football will aid his development and help Everton. He doesn't need a rest.

Andrew: Mason Holgate is not a right-back, Gylfi Sigurdsson is not a left Winger! And ohh yer, Stekelenburg is f***** terrible.

Not the best reaction to Ronald Koeman’s starting XI on Twitter this evening folks.

17:35: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

The near-250 mile round trip certainly hasn't put off Atlanta fans - hardly surprising since this is their first European game since 1990-91. 

And their supporters are making the most of us with thousands taking their seats behind the goal an hour before kick off.

Incidentally, Atlanta include former Middlesbrough midfielder Marten de Roon. He was one of the best players in the Premier League last season, you know.

Who said so? None other than Jose Mourinho after Manchester United had just beaten Boro.

17:30: I’m going to start with the Everton team news as I’ve absolutely no idea on the strength of Atalanta’s starting XI other then ex-Middlesbrough midfielder Marten de Roon.

Ronald Koeman has picked a strong side to return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against Chelsea and Tottenham.

Michael Keane, Leighton Baines, Morgan Schneiderlin, Wayne Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson all feature in what appears to be a 4—2-3-1 formation. Maarten Stekelenburg replaces Jordan Pickford between the sticks, while there’s a recall for Dominic Calvert-Lewin ahead of Sandro Ramirez.

Debutant klaxon! Nikola Vlasic makes his debut having arrived for £9million on transfer deadline day. The 19-year-old lined up in both legs of Hajduk Split's play-off tie with the Toffees in August, with the Croatian side eventually bowing out 3-1 on aggregate.

17:25: Analysis from our reporter Ian Murtagh, in Reggio Emilia.

Good evening from the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia for Everton's game against Atlanta.

It's an away game for both sides with the Serie A outfit playing 123 miles away from Bergamo due to renovation at their Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia headquarters.

The switch in venues has already caused a few problems. At least two members of the English media booked hotel rooms in Bergamo and had to change at the last minute.

And a scout of a Premier League club that shall remain nameless was also booked into accommodation in Bergamo, which is more than a two hour drive away from Reggio Emilia.

For those interested in geography, the city of around 170,000 inhabitants is situated south of Parma and north of Bologna.

17:20: Here’s tonight’s starting XI’s folks.

Atalanta XI: Berisha, Toloi, Palomino, Masiello, Hateboer, Cristante, De Roon, Freuler, Castagne, Petagna, Gomez.

Subs: Orsolini, Cornelius, Caldara, Kurtic, Haas, Gollini, Bastoni.

Everton XI: Stekelenburg, Holgate, Jagielka, Keane, Baines, Besic, Schneiderlin, Vlasic, Rooney, Sigurdsson, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Pickford, Williams, Ramirez, Mirallas, Martina, Gueye, Klaassen.

17:15: Good evening folks, welcome to our LIVE Europa League coverage. We’re in Italy tonight for Everton’s opening Group E clash with Atalanta.

And before you ask, NO I’m NOT in Italy.

I would to be sipping wine on the Amalfi Coast and reenacting my favourite scenes from The Trip.

But, alas, I’m sat at my desk in London eating a £3 Tesco meal deal and swigging instant coffee by the barrel.

I think that’s the bitterness out of the way, let’s get going!

PREVIEW

Everton boss Ronald Koeman has no fresh injury concerns ahead of tonight’s Europa League Group E clash with Atalanta in Reggio Emilia.

James McCarthy (knee) will not be available until next week at the earliest, while Ross Barkley (hamstring), Ramiro Funes Mori, Yannick Bolasie (both knee) and Seamus Coleman (broken leg) all remain sidelined as well.

Aaron Lennon is another who has not travelled with the squad to Italy.

Koeman, whose side head to Manchester United on Sunday, has indicated he will make some changes to his team.

Everton provisional squad: Pickford, Martina, Keane, Williams, Baines, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Klaassen, Rooney, Sigurdsson, Sandro, Stekelenburg, Jagielka, Holgate, Davies, Mirallas, Calvert-Lewin, Vlasic, Robles, Besic, Lookman.

Everton will obviously want to make a decent start in their group, but they look in particular need of securing a positive result. 

After going unbeaten in their opening six games of the season in all competitions, they have lost their last two and were notably poor in Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham. 

Toffees boss Ronald Koeman has stressed his side, who make a daunting-looking trip to Premier League leaders Manchester United on Sunday, must "react" against Atalanta - as well as his confidence they will do so.