Liverpool welcome Napoli to Anfield in a blockbuster top of Group A clash in 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
Despite both teams having wrapped up qualification, only a victory of four goals or more would see Liverpool finish top of the group.
Napoli meanwhile know that a win, draw or even defeat of three goals or fewer will see them advance as Group A winners.
Team News
Liverpool have no fresh injury concerns to report following their Premier League defeat to Leeds.
Joel Matip, Diogo Jota (both calf), Luis Diaz (knee), Arthur Melo (muscle) and Naby Keita (unspecified) remain absent.
Napoli will be without Salvatore Sirigu as he continues to recover from a muscle injury.
Amir Rrahmani (thigh) is ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool have won just one of their five previous Champions League meetings against Napoli (W1, D1, L3).
- Napoli are winless in two previous Champions League visits to Anfield (D1, L1).
- Liverpool have kept just one clean sheet at home to Napoli in all UEFA competitions – winning 1-0 in December 2018.
- Mohamed Salah have scored in each of Liverpool’s two Group A matches at home this season (W2).
- Napoli’s Giacomo Raspadori has scored three goals away from home in this group (W2).
Prediction
With qualification already assured amidst domestic struggles and a need to win this match by four goal margin at minimum to top the group, it will be interesting to see how Liverpool approach this dead rubber because this team is capable of four goals but I can’t see them achieving that here.
Jurgen Klopp therefore would be wise to rest his key players like Salah and Darwin Nunez but this is a chance for them to build some momentum, especially heading into Sunday’s tricky league trip to Tottenham which is a must-win for their top-four ambitions already.
Napoli meanwhile are in scintiliating form with no defeats this season in all competitions but I do expect them to rest some players at Anfield, especially ahead of their blockbuster showdown at Atalanta in the Serie A title race on Saturday.
Liverpool’s defence though should be there for the taking from Napoli’s perspective if the Reds defend like they did against Leeds, with little urgency to close gaps and mark players closely on top of poor communication in backpasses.
On that note, I don’t expect a classic because both teams have bigger fish to fry at the weekend but a goalless draw would feel flat by Anfield standards.
Prediction: Liverpool 1-1 Napoli
Result: Liverpool 2-0 Napoli
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