Liverpool 2 (Salah 85, Nunez 90+8) Napoli 0
Mohamed Salah equalled Steven Gerrard’s record of 41 European goals for Liverpool as Jürgen Klopp’s team wrapped up their Champions League group campaign with a morale-lifting victory over Napoli. It was the Serie A leaders first defeat in any competition in 18 matches this season and a little slice of revenge for Liverpool’s mauling in Naples at the beginning of a transformed European campaign.
Salah struck five minutes from time after substitute Darwin Núñez’s header had been saved on the line by Alex Meret. Luciano Spalletti’s side finished top of Group A courtesy of their 4-1 home win over Liverpool but for Klopp, taking charge of the Anfield club for the 400th time, victory number 249 was one to embrace given the doubts and the questions circling over his team’s form this season. Núñez added a second deep into injury time after a VAR review overturned the initial decision to disallow his tap-in for offside.
The group finale represented Klopp’s 100th game as a manager in the Champions League, for Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, and an opportunity to repair confidence ahead of Sunday’s league visit to Tottenham. There was also a point to prove against a Napoli team that inflicted Liverpool’s heaviest European defeat since 1966 at the start of the campaign, and who Klopp described as arguably the most in-form side on the continent. Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konaté made only their second starts of the season as the Liverpool manager made four changes from Saturday’s home defeat by Leeds.
Jones was deployed on the left of Liverpool’s attack and was presented with the first chance of the game when Trent Alexander-Arnold and Salah combined to pierce the Napoli defence. The midfielder was alert to Salah’s ball behind Leo Østigård but so too was Meret, and with the goalkeeper at his feet Jones clipped over from a tight angle. It was the only real threat of note from either side in the opening half-hour. It was not that the two teams were overly cautious but the safety of knowing that a place in the knockout stage awaited next year showed throughout.
Both defences were relatively comfortable although at least Liverpool managed to stretch Napoli’s and enliven proceedings after a third of the game had elapsed. The hosts countered quickly after Tanguy Ndombele, receiving Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s pass inside the box, had driven the visitors’ first shot of the night straight at Alisson. Salah broke away down the right and teed up Thiago Alcântara as the midfielder arrived unmarked on the edge of the Napoli penalty area. Thiago went for placement over power and Meret pushed away his shot at full stretch.
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Seconds later Roberto Firmino swept Alexander-Arnold’s deflected cross back into the area with a delightful, airborne backheel and Jones headed over under pressure from the Napoli captain, Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Jones then played Salah clean through on goal but Meret saved the one-v-one before the Egypt international was flagged offside.
Liverpool were dealt another injury blow early in the second half when James Milner was forced off with a possible hamstring problem. The 36-year-old, who needed treatment for a blow to the head shortly before the interval, over-stretched while attempting to close down Mathías Olivera and immediately signalled to the bench. Harvey Elliott entered the fray as the disconsolate midfielder headed down the tunnel.
Klopp’s problems appeared to deepen when Østigård sent a diving header beyond Alisson five minutes later. A foul by Fabinho on Olivera gave Kvaratskhelia the chance to whip in a free-kick from the left and the eye-catching Georgian delivered to perfection.
The set piece arched over Victor Osimhen and Konaté into the heart of the Liverpool area where the Napoli defender, left unmarked by Virgil van Dijk, headed home at full stretch. The goal was given but after a VAR review lasting three minutes – forcing players from both sides to perform warm-up exercises as they awaited the verdict – the central defender’s ear and shoulder were found to be offside.
Napoli fumed and defender Kim Min-jae went through the back of Firmino when played resumed but somehow escaped a booking. Kvaratskhelia had a good chance to cut short Liverpool’s sense of reprieve but, from Osimhen’s deep cross to the far post, the unmarked forward volleyed tamely at Alisson.
There was more quality on display in the second half, in fairness, with Napoli’s powerful midfield taking the game to Liverpool and the home side dangerous down the flanks. Klopp signalled his intent to win the game by introducing Núñez at the expense of Jones and the switch paid dividends when the Uruguay international played an instrumental role in Liverpool’s late breakthrough. The centre-forward met Kostas Tsimikas’s outswinging corner with a powerful downward header that almost crossed the line before Meret could scramble clear. The Napoli keeper succeeded only in turning the ball on to Salah, however, and from a yard out he forced the ball in.
Núñez tapped home the second when Meret parried Van Dijk’s header from another Tsimikas corner in stoppage time. The goal was initially given offside by the assistant referee only for VAR to spot that Di Lorenzo had played the substitute onside. — Guardian
