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Premier League giants Liverpool welcomed Napoli to Anfield for their final UEFA Champions League Group A clash on Tuesday night (November 1). Jurgen Klopp’s side, who endured a 4-1 defeat in the reverse fixture, produced a strong performance against the Italians, securing a convincing 2-0 victory. Tuesday’s result at Anfield marked Napoli’s first defeat of the 2022-23 season in all competitions.
Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez each scored a goal to take the Reds to a morale-boosting victory in front of their supporters. Thanks to the win, Klopp’s men finished level on points (12 in 6 games) with Napoli in Group A. However, it was not enough to dethrone Napoli at the top of the table, courtesy of the Italians’ superior head-to-head record.
Liverpool enjoyed a bright start to the game at Anfield, creating their first chance within five minutes. Trent Alexander-Arnold found Salah in space, who spotted Curtis Jones’ run at the far post. Jones did well to receive the pass and deceive the keeper, but he could not squeeze the ball in from a narrow-angle.
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Just before the half-hour mark, Salah went for goal with a first-time shot from inside the box, but it was pushed out of harm’s way by Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret. In the 42nd minute, Salah called Meret into action once more, this time with a sweet, curling strike. The flag eventually went up for offside.
Five minutes into the second half, Napoli’s in-form winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia found himself in some space at the far post. Konate was quick to react to the danger, putting pressure on the forward and causing him to drag his shot wide of the mark. In the 53rd minute, Leo Ostigard found the back of the net with a thumping header, but his goal was narrowly ruled out by VAR for offside.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 85th minute, with Salah tapping home from close range after Meret spilled Nunez’s header. The hosts doubled their advantage in injury time, once again scoring after Meret failed to collect the initial shot. Only this time, it was Nunez who got on the scoresheet.
The Reds dominated proceedings for most of the night, working as a unit to make sure their boss Klopp was not left disappointed in his 400th game in charge. Here are five Liverpool players who stood out in their victory over Napoli on Tuesday night:
#5 Thiago Alcantara
Operating on the left side of Liverpool’s three-man midfield, Thiago Alcantara dictated the tempo of the game with unmatched expertise. He stretched play with his deliveries, instigated multiple counterattacks, and kept the opposition on their toes with his slick passes.
Against the Italian outfit, Thiago delivered seven accurate long balls, completed 48 passes with 92.3% accuracy, won three ground duels, and drew two fouls. Additionally, he made four interceptions and attempted a tackle.
#4 Virgil van Dijk
Playing in his 200th game for Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk put in a confident shift at the back on Tuesday night. He was strong in duels, cleared the ball when needed, and was never baited into fouling an opponent. Van Dijk also used his physicality to lodge a header on target deep into injury time, which the Napoli stopper spilled, allowing Nunez to score.
The Dutchman made five clearances, attempted a tackle, and won four of seven duels on Champions League matchday six.
#3 Mohamed Salah
Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah lacked the end product against Napoli, but he was easily the hosts’ most threatening player up top. He made runs into the box, created openings, and showcased his sense of awareness to open the scoring in the 85th minute.
The Egypt international was the first to react to Meret’s spill and confidently pushed the ball over the line. The goal marked his seventh in the competition this season, making him the competition's leading scorer.
In addition to the goal, Salah made three key passes, completed 22 passes with 81.5% accuracy, and created a big chance.
#2 Ibrahima Konate
Ibrahima Konate might have been off with his distribution (74.1% passing accuracy, 7 misplaced long balls) on Tuesday night, but his defensive acumen was there for everyone to see. He expertly dealt with Kvaratskheli, carried the ball well, and unhesitantly cleared the ball when necessary.
Against Napoli, Konate made two clearances, blocked a shot, won a tackle, and provided a key pass. He also won five duels, drew two fouls, and completed a dribble.
#1 Darwin Nunez
Introduced for Jones in the 73rd minute, Darwin Nunez made a stunning cameo off the bench. He injected directness into the Reds’ attack, playing a huge part in Salah’s goal and scoring the second one himself.
He outjumped every Napoli defender in the 85th minute to connect with Konstantinos Tsimikas’ corner and direct a powerful header towards Napoli’s goal. Meret failed to collect it, leading to Salah’s tap in.
In the 98th minute, Nunez was in the right place at the right time to bundle the ball over the line when Meret failed to collect Van Dijk’s header. Nunez also won a duel and played five accurate passes in 27 points on Tuesday.
