“Our Savior”, “Leaving with something!” – Liverpool fans celebrate as 23-year-old star is named in line-up for Napoli game

Liverpool fans are very excited about Ibrahima Konate's inclusion in their starting lineup to face Napoli in the UEFA Champions League today (November 1).

The Reds have had a slightly poor defensive record in the competition, having conceded six goals in their previous five games.

However, fans believe that Konate, who has returned to full fitness, will be vital in improving their defensive lapses against a tough opponent like Napoli.

The Frenchman has made just two appearances in all competitions this season for Liverpool before being out due to a knee injury.

Liverpool set to finish second in their Champions League group

Liverpool have had a stumbling start to the campaign, both domestically and continentally. However, their Champions League efforts have improved in recent times, compared to their troubling performances in the Premier League.

They will be looking to beat Napoli today, which will not be an easy task. The Partenopei have enjoyed a 100% record in the Champions League this season.

The Reds have already booked their spot in the knockout stages following their 3-0 win against Ajax last time out at Amsterdam. However, their impressive display was dampened in a 2-1 loss against Leeds United in the Premier League on October 29. They lost their first game at Anfield in over five years.

Jurgen Klopp's men will need to secure a rather strong win against Napoli to ensure they finish in the top spot in their group. They will need to secure all three points while scoring three or more goals against Napoli.

The Reds could end up facing the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, or Bayern Munich in the round of 16 if they finish second.

However, Napoli are unlikely to let their opponents off easily. The Partenopei will certainly visit Anfield with every intent to demoralize the Reds further by handing them another home defeat.

Luciano Spalletti's side now sit on a wondrous run of 13 wins in a row across all competitions and could make it 14 against Liverpool. Their work is yet to be done, as they will need to be wary of complacency, especially against a team with the Reds' quality in all areas.

About the author

Nnanna is a European and international football journalist who has been covering news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda for around 5 years. A keen interest in reading and football since an early age, watching games at local stadiums with family paved the way for him to take up the sport professionally.

Nnanna’s favorite club is English team Bolton Wanderers because he witnessed Nigeria legend Jay-Jay Okocha's play for them between 2002 and 2006. His favorite footballer is Ronaldinho due to the Brazilian's love for the sport and admires Pep Guardiola for redefining football tactics. As a former literature student, Nnanna reckons that the best way of connecting with the readers is to add a bit of empathy in his writing, and relies on trusted websites like Transfermarkt and WhoScored for his articles.

Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup trophy in 2022 is Nnanna’s favorite FIFA World Cup moment, and also follows Major League Soccer due to the diminutive Argentine. He strongly believes that Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland could be the next two superstars in the same light as legendary pair Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

When not writing, he likes to play Football Manager and other simulation games.

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