Liverpool qualified for the round of 16 last time out with a 3-0 win over Ajax and could have still finished top of the group, but they needed to beat Napoli by more than four goals. They've won all four Champions League games since the 4-1 defeat to the Italian side on Match-Day-1, but their stuttering league form continued last weekend as they lost 2-1 at home to Leeds United.
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Jurgen Klopp was managing his 100th game in the Champions League, and he made four changes to the side that lost to Leeds on Saturday. Konate, Tsimikas, Milner, and Jones were all brought in, and Alexander-Arnold made his 50th appearance in the competition. Gomez, Robertson, Elliott, and Nunez were dropped to the bench.
LIVERPOOL XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Kostas Tsimikas; James Milner, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara; Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Curtis Jones.
SUBS: Adrian, Harvey Elliott, Darwin Nunez, Calvin Ramsey, Stefan Bajcetic, Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez, Nathaniel Phillips, Caoimhin Kelleher, Fabio Carvalho.
Our line-up for #LIVNAP tonight 📋🔴#UCL
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 1, 2022
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Napoli won all five of their games in Europe and only needed to avoid a heavy defeat to go through as group winners. They were still yet to lose in any competitions (W15 D2) and have won their last 13 outings on the bounce.
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Luciano Spalletti also made four changes from their win over Sassuolo last time out, with Ostigard, Olivera, Ndombele, and Politano coming into the side. Jesus, Rui, Zielinski, and Lozano found themselves on the bench.
NAPOLI XI (4-3-3): Alex Meret; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Leo Ostigard, Kim Min-Jae, Mathias Olivera; Tanguy Ndombele, Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa; Matteo Politano, Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
SUBS: Salvatore Sirigu, Hubert Dawid Idasiak, Eljif Elmas, Alessandro Zanoli, Gianluca Gaetano, Hirving Lozano, Juan Jesus, Giacomo Raspadori, Piotr Zielinski, Mario Rui, Alessio Zerbin, Giovanni Simeone.
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Liverpool lost their last two games against Italian sides in the Champions League, both of which have occurred this year (0-1 v Inter in March and 1-4 v Napoli in September). They've never previously lost three games in a row against Italian opposition in the European Cup/Champions League and the plan was to keep that ticked.
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Liverpool were seeing a lot of the ball, but they're struggling to get it into the box. After soaking up the pressure from the hosts, Napoli were breaking quickly on the counter through again and again. Kvaratskhelia was overlapping and driving forward into the box Liverpool defenders were struggling to get back. He was creating a lot of disturbance on the wing for the fullbacks but Napoli were struggling to keep hold of the ball.
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It was goalless at the break between Liverpool and Napoli. It's been a game of very few chances so far, with both sides only having one shot on target to their name so far. Ndombele's effort was straight at Alisson, who then set his side on a counter-attack which resulted in Meret having to push Thiago's attempt wide. Liverpool saw more of the ball, but there was nothing to separate the sides in the first 45 minutes.
53’ minutes on the clock when Ostigard scored!! It's a brilliant delivery from the free-kick by Kvaratskhelia on the left. VAR was looking at the replays. The check took about four minutes, but we finally had the result, and the goal didn’t stand! It's a tight call, but Ostigard was just leaning into an offside position behind Konate. Still 0-0!
The time was running out and Napoli could see themselves as the group Champion. Scoring four goals was unlikely. But Napoli would love to keep their unbeaten run. To do that they had to defend a corner in the 85th minute. Tsimikas whipped a dangerous corner into the box and Nunez towered over everyone else in the middle. He heads it down the middle and Meret spilled it but just manages to prevent the whole ball from crossing the line. He scrambled it away, leaving Salah to tap it in from close range. The keeper pushed it away again, but that time it did go in. 1-0 Liverpool!
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That goal leveled Salah at the top of the Red's European goal-scoring charts alongside Liverpool legend Gerrard ✨
Moving level at the top of our European goalscoring charts ✨
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 1, 2022
Superb, @MoSalah 👑 pic.twitter.com/mZt2xYEcWw
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That goal made Liverpool's confidence soar, and they're moving it around much quicker than before. To seal the deal Nunez scored! After a lengthy VAR check, Nunez was awarded the goal! Initially, he looked like he had just strayed offside, with Kim stepping back in, but Di Lorenzo was slow to get back in line with the rest of the defense. He was just playing Nunez onside when Van Dijk thumped his header on goal. Meret spilled it, allowing Nunez to tap in from very close range at the near post to seal the win for Liverpool. 2-0!
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In his last three UCL appearances, he scored in every game. The man has started to deliver.
Rangers ⚽
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 1, 2022
Ajax ⚽
Napoli ⚽
Three goals in his last three @ChampionsLeague outings for @Darwinn99 👌 pic.twitter.com/w3kB34ZEHt
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Liverpool bounced back after their loss at the weekend, but the victory wasn't enough to see them through as group winners. Due to their head-to-head record, they finish second in Group A. Next up for them is a trip to Tottenham in the Premier League. Despite winning the group, Napoli's unbeaten start to the season is over. They travel to Atalanta at the weekend in Serie A.
HIGHLIGHTS
What a performance from Salah! He was creating, making overlapping runs, cutting inside. He was the leader on the field.
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| Total Shots | 03 | |
|---|---|---|
| Shots On Target | 02 | |
| Goal | 01 | |
| Key Passes | 03 | |
| Big Chances Created | 01 | |
| Passes Completed | 22/27 (81%) | |
| Long Passes Completed | 1/1 (100%) | |
| Touches | 47 |
