Diogo Jota scored a hat-trick as Liverpool smashed Atalanta away from home in the Champions League at the Gewiss Stadium.
The Reds produced an attacking masterclass and carved open Atalanta, who finished third in Serie A last season and have been doing well in Italy this term as well.
There were anticipations that Jurgen Klopp could rotate his squad against Atalanta with an eye on Manchester City at the weekend, but Nicol believes with the league game being on Sunday, the Liverpool manager was emboldened to play more or less his best eleven.
The former Red feels it is the best he has seen Liverpool play this season and Atalanta were lucky not to concede more goals on the night given the fact how open they were against a brilliant visiting side.
Nicol said on ESPN FC: “They don’t play City until Sunday and that is why he didn’t really rotate that much.
“He didn’t play [Roberto] Firmino and basically that was about it, everybody else is probably considered a first-teamer now.
“This probably was Liverpool’s best performance all season.
“They have had a rotten record in Italy in the Champions League previous to this game but my god, what a performance!
“Atalanta were very open, but Atalanta are very open and they do give teams chances. They just got caught by Liverpool on a night where they were as a whole back to their very best.
“Atalanta were lucky it was only five.”
Liverpool are sitting at the top of their Champions League group after winning their opening three games.
