Liverpool struck 2 precocious goals to descend Napoli and extremity the Italian side's club-record 21-game unbeaten tally successful each competitions with a 2-0 decision astatine Anfield. The effect besides ended a 13-game winning streak for Napoli.
With some sides already done to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, Liverpool started brightly arsenic Curtis Jones dinked conscionable implicit from Mohamed Salah's threaded pass. Napoli responded and thought they'd taken the lead, but VAR chalked disconnected Leo Ostigard's second-half slug header aft a precise agelong hold to contradict the defender his 2nd extremity successful arsenic galore Champions League appearances.
The necktie past seemed to fizzle out, but conscionable erstwhile it looked destined to extremity goalless, Salah popped up to person Darwin Nunez's header astatine the backmost post, earlier Nunez poached 1 of his ain with a last-gasp tap-in.
Positives
Tuesday marked much Champions League minutes for Jones, who looks similar the existent woody astatine times. It's truthful casual to hide he's inactive lone 21. Good sides tin triumph ugly, and that's precisely what Jurgen Klopp's men did against the Serie A leaders.
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Negatives
Despite their win, Liverpool were incapable to asseverate their dominance implicit a broadside that person been a existent fistful for them successful caller years and this 1 could person ended precise otherwise if not for a substance of inches successful some punishment areas.
Manager standing (out of 10, 10 = best)
Jurgen Klopp, 6 -- The charismatic Liverpool manager celebrated 400 games with 3 points against an highly well-drilled outfit. What a travel it's been for the Reds during his tenure, though helium astir apt won't retrieve this 1 successful a fewer years' time.
Player ratings (players introduced aft 70 minutes = nary rating)
GK Alisson, 6 -- Got his assemblage down a drilled effort from on-loan Spurs antheral Tanguy Ndombele, but different untested successful the opening 45. Gratefully grasped onto a first-time onslaught from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia that took a nasty deflection disconnected Trent Alexander-Arnold.
DF Konstantinos Tsimikas, 7 -- Showed bully antiaircraft consciousness to snuff retired an aboriginal Napoli attack. Whipped successful immoderate wicked crosses from wide areas but couldn't unit a breakthrough. Decent worth for his cleanable sheet.
DF Virgil van Dijk, 8 -- Another milestone arsenic the large defender racked up his 200th quality for the Reds and celebrated with a cleanable expanse and assist. It's just to accidental helium was little than impressed with Victor Osimhen's antics though.
DF Ibrahima Konaté, 6 -- Won a free-kick successful a bully country with a marauding tally towards the Napoli punishment country from heavy successful his ain fractional that ended with him yet being wrestled to the crushed by Osimhen. Booked for catching Stanislav Lobotka late.
DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, 4 -- Sloppy. Nodded Virgil van Dijk's clearance backmost into a unsafe area, but responded good with a bully foot. Penalised for a foul propulsion -- a rarity successful immoderate crippled fto unsocial a Champions League fixture -- and was troubled by Kvaratskhelia.
MF Thiago, 6 -- Started brightly and drew a uncommon halt from Alex Meret with a almighty effort from Salah's pull-back, though it was astir apt a spot of a camera prevention and the goalkeeper ever looked adjacent to it.
MF Fabinho, 4 -- Clipped the heels of his antheral which allowed Ostigard to person an implicit quality of a transportation that took each Red garment retired of the game, but VAR spared his blushes. Showed immoderate magic, but lone by miraculously avoiding a booking.
MF James Milner, 7 -- Tested Napoli's resoluteness with a fizzed debased shot into the container that was hammered to safety. He's astir 37 present and inactive playing Champions League football, and successful the motor country excessively -- you person to respect that, particularly successful contests arsenic frantic arsenic this 1 was.
FW Curtis Jones, 7 -- Close to opening the scoring with arsenic deft a dink arsenic you'll spot from a choky angle, but the shot dipped conscionable implicit the bar. Headed different effort comfortably implicit aft dazzling enactment from Firmino, and possibly helium should person deed the target.
FW Mohamed Salah, 8 -- Selfless. The striker asked questions each evening, including a beauteous walk that prime retired Jones that chopped consecutive done a crowded punishment area, earlier stabbing location a somewhat fortuitous winner, but helium won't caput that 1 bit.
FW Roberto Firmino, 7 -- Found chances to beryllium scarce arsenic the contention turned into a spot of a scrap. Slipped successful Tsimikas with an intelligent shot retired to the near but his transverse was defended good earlier uncovering Jones with an outrageous flick that was headed implicit by the latter.
Substitutes
MF Harvey Elliot, 6 -- Replaced injured skipper Milner successful the 48th minute. Probably not the clip oregon circumstances that Klopp would person been hoping for. Blazed his champion accidental into the basal from Jones' lay-off to the borderline of the box.
MF Stefan Bajcetic, NR -- Late minutes for the teen but thing much than a cameo.
FW Darwin Nunez, NR -- Replaced Jones successful the 73rd infinitesimal and made the difference, though he'll beryllium arguing with Salah each nighttime astir who got the opener. Almost made things comfy with a debased transverse that was nicked distant from Salah astatine the past second.
FW Fabio Carvalho, NR -- A precise little quality from the seat for the originative forward, but nary clip to marque an impact.
DF Calvin Ramsay, NR -- A memorable nighttime for the youngster who made his elder debut precocious on.
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