Liverpool vs Napoli live online: summary, goals and highlights, Champions League 2022-23
FT - Liverpool 2-0 Napoli
Liverpool take the points but Napoli take top spot.
This game was ultimately a tale of three set plays and VAR. Leo Ostigard thought he had given the Italians the lead with a header from a free-kick but was ruled offside. Nuñez and Van Dijk headers were nudged in from close range by Salah and the Uruguayan respectively, with the latter's goal having initially been ruled out for offside.
There was really nothing to choose between the teams in open play. The hosts had the better of the chances in the first half, with Jones and Thiago closest to opening the scoring.
Napoli shaded things in the second period and will feel a little hard done by to take nothing back to Italy.
Still, Luciano Spalletti's side take top spot and will hope to have a slightly more favourable draw in the round of 16.
Five wins in a row for Liverpool now, too.
Salah: This will push us on
Mohammed Salah has been speaking to UK broadcaster BT Sport after the game:
"To win against one of the best teams in the world is the best feeling."
"We have to carry it on, it's a good result which will give us more confidence for in the cup and league."
On the long VAR wait: "Honestly I didn't know it was my goal because the ball was in. Thanks for confirming that!"
"Anyone can score, the most important thing is the team."
"We played a good game, we were quicker on the ball and recovered the ball quick too."
"We aren't doing great in the league, but this will push us and then hopefully we can win more."
What did I tell you?
Chaos, carnage, mayhem...whatever you want to call it.
Beaten tonight but a tremendous group-stage campaign nevertheless!
Goal given! 2-0 Liverpool!
Dawin Nuñez gets his goal, with Piotr Zielinksi judged to have been playing the Uruguayan onside. That'll be that, then.
Another VAR check incoming...
Inches away from 2-0! Van Dijk's header from a corner is pushed out by Meret and Nuñez nudges it into the net, only to be ruled offisde. That might have spun in anyway...
And another side of Nuñez...a yellow card for pushing in the box.
Darwin Nuñez - chaos factor. The Uruguayan has a habit of effecting games. His header led to Salah's goal and there we saw another side of him. His fleet-footedness gets him away down the left and his low cross is put behind by Ostigard just before it reached the Egyptian again.
'No' is the short answer.
Corner for Napoli. Can they do something here?
There'll be seven minutes of added time by the way.
A Napoli corner falls to Elmas, who gets well underneath and blazes it over the bar. A decent sight of goal.
This is Calvin Ramsey's Liverpool debut. It's a long way from Aberdeen (figuretively speaking).
Triple change for Liverpool, double switch for Napoli
Some fresh, young faces for the Reds. Ramsey, Bajcetic and Carvalho replace TAA, Firmino and Thiago.
Simeone and Raspadori come on for Osimhen and Ndombélé for the visitors.
1-0 Liverpool! Salah!
Or maybe Nuñez...
Nuñez gets his head to a corner from the left. The Uruguayan's header is pushed away by Meret, who just about keeps it out but Salah is there to bundle it over the line from close range.
Kvaratskhelia and Lobotka replaced by Elmas and Zielinski for the visitors.
Kvaratskhelia comes back to life for a few seconds, skipping inside a couple of challenges before shooting a little too high. Just under 10 to go.
A first save of the second half for Meret! Alexander-Arnold's volley is blocked in the box and falls to Salah, whose poke goalwards calls the Napoli stopper into action, although doesn't seriously trouble him.
Osimhen gets between Konaté and Van Dijk for the first time in the match and manages to get a shot away, but it's from a difficult angle and flashes well wide.
Both teams giving the ball away a lot at the moment. Hard to pick a winner from here.
A sight of goal from 20 yards for Lobotka but that's a really poor effort. Totally choked it. Easy for Alisson.
Osimhen gets a smack around the chops from Virgil Van Dijk. In the box...didn't look deliberate though. Play on.
Alexander-Arnold in the book for bringing a second ball ONTO the pitch. Honestly don't think I've ever seen that before.
Watch out Napoli. Nuñez has definitely got the chaos factor.
Second Liverpool change
Darwin Nuñez on for Curtis Jones.
Chucky time!
Time for Chucky! Lozano replaces Politano, who's not had much of an impact on this game.
Here's a good graphic related to Ostigard's disallowed goal.
I couldn't agree more with the message attached to this tweet.
Elliott sends one into orbit! A great pull-back from Curtis Jones picks out his fellow youngster on the edge of the box but he scoops it into the Kop.
The Italians are knocking it about quite nicely although there's not too much of an attacking edge, which isn't like them. I'm honestly shocked we've played more than an hour without a goal.
Napoli have stepped things up a bit here. Osimhen feeds a nice ball through for Kvaratskhelia, whose volley is deflected by TAA and blocked by Alisson.
Ostigard goal ruled out! 0-0
Ostigard is ruled to have been offside and we're back to 0-0. That was pretty tight.
And, I'm sorry, took FAR too long.
Hang fire...we're having a (rather lengthy) VAR check...
Ostigard! Liverpool 0-1 Napoli
The scoring has been opened! And it's a delightful ball into the box from Kvaratskhelia, who's started the second half very well again. It lands right on the head of Ostigard, who's all alone to send a diving header beyond Alisson!
The corner is half cleared but is pumped back into the box, where it falls to Salah...who half-volleys comfortably over.
A lovely turn from Firmino in the box...corner!
Kvaratskhelia was really lively in the early stages of the first half before fading completely. He's already got a shot away in the second but dragged it well wide from inside the box.
Liverpool change
Milner does indeed go off, replaced by Harvey Elliott.
James Milner is down again. You'll remember that he took a knock to the head just before half-time and came straight back on. It must've been worse than it appeared as he's gone down again now. Looks like he'll be coming off.
And we're off! Some goals please, guys.
Strap yourselves back in folks. we'll be getting back underway very shortly!
I'd probably pull several muscles trying to pull this off.
Elsewhere in the Champions League
Group A - Rangers 0-2 Ajax. The Dutch will qualify for the Europa League.
Group B - Porto 2-1 Atlético Madrid, Leverkusen 0-0 Club Brugge. Those games are over. Porto and Club Brugge go through. Atlético are OUT of Europe.
Group C - Bayern 1-0 Inter, Viktoria Plzeñ 0-2 Barcelona. Bayern going through with a perfect record, Inter second. Barça in the Europa League.
Group D - Marseille 1-0 Spurs, Sporting 1-0 Eintracht Frankfurt. Tonight's winners going through as things stand.
HT Liverpool 0-0 Napoli
An entertaining first half although maybe a little less than we were all anticipating...
It's has been a less open affair than I was expecting but perhaps only because I had expected it to be ridiculously open.Kvaratskhelia looked as if he was going to torment the Liverpool defence – and Alexander-Arnold in particular - after the opening 15 minutes or so but the Reds have done well to limit the service to him. Jürgen Klopp’s side have shaded things in terms of chances and look dangerous when they work the ball forward quickly, with Salah and Jones lively so far. Jones and Thiago have come closest to scoring for the hosts, while Alisson hasn't been given much work to do at the other end.
Napoli centre-back Min-jae Kim has just chased Mo Salah all the way back into the Liverpool penalty area from more or less the halfway line. You don't see that often and you could tell Salah wasn't expecting it, he got a bit flustered on the ball.
Foul throw from TAA. How hard can it be?
Huge chance for Salah...offside!
Jones slide-rule pass sends Salah clean through and bearing down on goal from the 'Salah position'. Meret does brilliantly to touch the ball round the post but the offside flag goes up anyway.
Milner is, indeed, back on the field. That was a 'one-step-off-the-field-and-straight-back-on-job'.
Man down! A clash of heads between Milner and Angouissa leaves the Englishman bloodied and battered. He should be OK to continue.
Osimhen almost through! The Nigerian striker gets a foot to Di Lorenzo's ball into him, which takes it away from Van Dijk but itjust runs through to Alisson.
Konaté the first man in the book as he wipes out Lobotka from behind.
In the other game in the group, Ajax are already 2-0 up on Rangers in Glasgow. To the surprise of pretty much nobody, I would suggest.
Jones' confidence is up! That was some delightful footwork there to work the ball through to Milner in the box. His cross was cleared though, should've done a bit better.
Another effort for Liverpool, as Firmino's fancy flick into the air is header just over by Jones. Good link-up from the attacking pair.
Close at either end!
The two clearest sights of goal come with 30 seconds of one another!
Ndombélé fires low at Alisson from just inside the box before Liverpool race up the other end and tee up Thiago, whose effort has to be beaten away by Meret.
That's better.
50-50 possession after almost half-an-hour. Sums it up so far.
Stanislav Lobotka must be the only number 68 I've ever seen on a soccer field.
A Van Dijk-esque run out from the back from Konaté deep into the Napoli half. Osimhen is a bit late to track him and fouls the Frenchman...
...but the free-kick is easily cleared.
If Liverpool can find a way to switch the ball quickly to Alexander-Arnold when they win possession, they could be in.He was in acres of space there with Kvaratskhelia staying upfield but didn't get the ball.
I speculated about Liverpool's system before kickoff but Curtis Jones, rather than playing in midfield, is playing wide on the left. It looks more like the Reds' customary 4-3-3 so far.
A break from Liverpool ends with Salah picking up possession on the angle of the box. His deflected cross just evades his teammates, though, and Meret collects.
Seconds after I typed that last post, Kvaratskhelia nipped away from TAA fairly and crossed from the goal-line. Headed away from Van Dijk though.
It's been a fairly even start, bits and pieces at either end. Kvaratskhelia looks like he's going to be the main dangerman for the visitors. I'm not sure TAA will enjoy the Georgian running at him...
Not much in the way of goalmouth action so far. Maybe my goals prediction cursed it...
And, yes, in case you're wondering, Kvaratskhelia is very much a cut-and-paste-job.
A big penalty shout for Napoli! Kvaratskhelia goes down the left and gets a nudge from Konaté. Don't think that was even checked. Hmm...
Salah got away with one there! A slack pass to TAA almost let Kvaratskhelia clean through. Good recovery from the England full-back.
Fabinho is putting himself about in the early stages. Could've had a yellow card twice already...
Inches away from Curtis Jones! Salah sneaks the ball through to him and he tries to dink it over Meret, which he does, but it goes just too high.
A couple of flashes at either end, both down the right-hand side. Nothing doing though, goalkeepers claiming balls into the box.
We're off! Expect goals galore...!
The teams are out and battle is about to commence!
It is indeed! Tick tock. Seconds to go.
Anfield. It's famous for its European nights, you know.
Previous meetings
Liverpool and Napoli had never met until 2010 but they've become familiar faces to each other in recent years:
21 October 2010 - Napoli 0-0 Liverpool (Europa League)
4 November 2010 - Liverpool 3-1 Napoli (Europa League)
3 October 2018 - Napoli 1-0 Liverpool (Champions League)
11 December 2018 - Liverpool 1-0 Napoli (Champions League)
17 September 2019 - Napoli 2-0 Liverpool (Champions League)
27 November 2019 - Liverpool 1-1 Napoli (Champions League)
7 September 2022 - Napoli 4-1 Liverpool (Champions League)
Quite a mixed bag there.
Liverpool injuries
While I've had some harsh words for Liverpool's performances this season, they've not been helped by injuries. Joël Matip, Luis Díaz, Diogo Jota, Naby Keita and Arthur Melo all out tonight and have been for a while, in most cases. Matip and Keita should be back soon, at least.
Just under 30 minutes to go!
It looks like a decent night for it although it's apparently cold and wet...
Nine European trophies for Liverpool, one for Napoli
Not counting Super Cups, Liverpool have won nine European trophies. Six European Cups/Champions Leagues, four UEFA Cups.
Napoli, meanwhile, have a solitary UEFA Cup to their name, won in 1989 during Diego Maradona's spell at the club (obviously).
Napoli - 2022-23 so far
Napoli, by contrast, couldn’t have dreamed of a better start to the campaign. 10 wins and two draws from 12 Serie A games. Five points clear at the top of the table. A barrowload of goals scored. Wins away to Lazio, Roma and Milan. All that on top of their incredible Champions League run. They’re going to take some stopping in Italy and maybe in Europe too…
Liverpool - 2022-23 so far
As I mentioned earlier, this has not been a good season for Liverpool domestically. That’s probably putting it mildly. Back-to-back defeats against Leeds and Nottingham Forest leave the Reds in ninth place in the Premier League table. They were one of the favourites to challenge for the title but find themselves in ninth, 16 points behind leaders Arsenal, 15 behind Manchester City and only five above the relegation zone. Not good.
Don't worry Stefan Bajcetic, a few more games and you'll get your own spot in the first-team dressing room with your name printed on the wall. You're still young.
There'll be at least one Simeone in the knockout stages. He can tell his dad all about it.
Napoli - Champions League 2022-23 so far
Napoli have been the revelation of the 2022-23 Champions League. Luciano Spalletti’s men boast a perfect record in the group stages and have dished out a number of thrashings along the way. They’ve scored at least three goals in every game and demolished Ajax 6-1 in Amsterdam in addition to taking Liverpool apart in the first group game. Superb stuff.
Liverpool - Champions League 2022-23 so far
The Champions League has been a welcome distraction for Liverpool from their frankly awful domestic form (more on that in a bit). They’ve recovered really well from that humbling in Naples, winning their next four in the competition, which included a 7-1 victory against a hopeless Rangers side in Glasgow, to secure their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare.
Napoli starting XI confirmed!
The Italians have made us wait a little but here we go!
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Ostigard, Minjae, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, Ndombele; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia
These guys have scored at least three goals in every Champions League game this season. No pressure, lads...
200 games for Van Dijk
He's not been in the greatest form this season but Liverpool's recent success began after he joined the club from Southampton in 2018, no doubt.
400 up for Jürgen Klopp
1 Champions League
1 Premier League
1 FA Cup
1 League Cup
1 FIFA World Club Cup
1 European Super Cup
That's not half bad, although I get the feeling he might think he's left a few out there.
Milestones for Liverpool
No news of the Napoli line-up yet, so while we're waiting, let's take a look at a couple of Liverpool milestones.
Liverpool starting XI confirmed!
4-4-2 diamond? We'll find out in just over an hour or so.
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van DIjk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Milner, Thiago, Jones; Salah, Firmino
No Robertson, no Nuñez, no Henderson. The former two are on the bench, though.
Viktoria Plzeñ vs Barcelona also live tonight
My colleague Joe Brennan will also be keeping you up to date with Barcelona’s clash away to Viktoria Plzeñ, in which the Catalans start preparing for life in the Europa League. Surely they can win that…?
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/diarioas/QQYGAHDULFDLPNP5HZOUH7CUSI.jpg)
Where to watch the game
Before we get going, if you’re looking for a place where you can watch the game (please do, but stick around here as well!), then look no further! Here’s all the info you need.
What’s at stake?
You’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s not much on the line in this game, with both teams already assured of a top-two finish. But I doubt very much that they they’ll be thinking like that…
Finishing first in the group often means an easier draw in the round of 16 (although not always…). Napoli are in pole position and, having tanked Liverpool 4-1 at the Maradona (still feels weird saying that), only need to avoid a hammering to top the group.
To be more precise, now that teams finishing on level points are separated by whoever has the better head-to-head record, Liverpool need to win by a four-goal margin or more to leapfrog tonight’s opponents. If the Reds win by three goals, the head-to-head record will be equal and then the tiebreaker will be overall goal difference in the group, which Napoli have in the bag.
Welcome to Liverpool vs Napoli - this going to be fun!
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening! Wherever you are in the world, thanks for joining me (Roddy) for live coverage of Tuesday’s Champions League Group A clash between Liverpool and Napoli.
Both teams are already through to the knockout stages but they’re gunning for top spot in the group. Is the pressure off? Maybe? Maybe not? I don’t know. Anyway, I’ve got a feeling this could be A LOT of fun!
The game kicks off at 9pm local time in England, that’s 4pm ET / 1pm PT. Don’t forget the European clock change…