Michael
Liverpool hosted Napoli at Anfield in their group stage finale as they looked to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Leeds United last Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp made four changes from Liverpool’s crushing 2-1 loss to Leeds United last Saturday bringing in Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas, James Milner and Curtis Jones. They were replaced for Joe Gomez, Andrew Robertson, Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez.
The story going into the match was relatively low profile, given that both Liverpool and Napoli had already qualified for the last 16. The only thing at stake was the unlikely scenario that Liverpool won by four goals and win the group.
Liverpool started the game with high intensity, exhibiting shades of their former selves. The first big opportunity being when Mohamed Salah played Curtis Jones through, but the pass had a little too much on it meaning the best Jones could do is chip it over the crossbar.
Liverpool were forced into a change within a minute of the restart, with James Milner signalling to the bench after a clash of heads in the first half as Harvey Elliott came on in his place.
Napoli held out until the break in what seemed a subpar performance from the Italian table-toppers this season. They came out a different animal in the second half and thought they had broken the deadlock on 54 minutes but Leo Ostigard’s header was eventually ruled out for offside following a lengthy VAR check.
Liverpool kept pushing and eventually found the breakthrough in the 85th minute through Salah as he poked home after the goalkeeper initially saved Nunez’s header from a corner.
After another lengthy VAR check, Nunez would be awarded his goal in the 98th minute after Virgil van Dijk’s header from another corner was pushed out by the Napoli goalkeeper. Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker pounced on and dispatched.
That would prove to be the end score, Liverpool win 2-0. It wasn’t enough to win the group, but Jurgen Klopp’s team handed Napoli their first defeat since April of last season and ended their 13-game winning streak.
Ibrahima Konate imperious return to action for Liverpool rightfully applauded by Reds fans and awarded man of the match for his impressive display expertly controlling Napoli’s dangerous forward Victor Osimhen. Konate certainly made a big difference to Liverpool’s back line, bringing energy and physicality that has been sorely lacking of late. Hopefully he can stay fit and available for the rest f this season.
A 2-0 win for Jurgen Klopp’s men against Napoli handed the Italian outfit their first loss of the season, but they’re not the only ones to come unstuck against the Reds in this mixed season.
The Reds put in a decent display at Anfield as they claimed revenge on a side that thumped them 4-1 in the reverse fixture
Up next for Liverpool is Tottenham Hotspur away in the Premier League.
Highlights: Liverpool 2-0 Napoli
