Liverpool's Mohamed Salah equaled Steven Gerrard's mark of 41 goals in Europe as Jürgen Klopp's squad defeated Napoli to finish first in their Champions League group. The Serie A leaders suffered their first loss in any competition in 18 games this season, and it served as a small measure of retaliation for Liverpool's humiliation in Napoli at the start of a newly revamped European campaign.
Although Alex Meret successfully cleared Darwin Nunez's header off the line five minutes from time, Salah scored. By defeating Liverpool 4-1 at home, Luciano Spalletti's squad won Group A, but for Jurgen Klopp, who is now in command of the Anfield club for the 400th time, victory number 249 was one to truly appreciate given the uncertainty and concerns surrounding his team's performance this year. After a VAR review overturned the initial judgment to deny Nunez's tap-in for offside, he added a second deep into injury time.
As the coach of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund in his 100th Champions League match, Klopp used the group finale as a chance to boost morale before Sunday's league journey to Spurs. Additionally, Liverpool had something to prove to a Napoli squad that Klopp referred to as possibly the most in-form team on the continent after they handed Liverpool its biggest European defeat since 1966 at the beginning of the season. In the four changes the Liverpool boss made from Saturday's home loss to Leeds, Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konaté made just their second starts of the year.
Jones, who was positioned to the left of Liverpool's attack, received the opening opportunity of the contest when Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold combined to breach the Napoli defense. Salah's pass behind Leo Østigård was picked up by the midfielder, but Meret was also watching for it. With the goalkeeper at his feet, Jones clipped the ball over from a tight angle. It was the only significant threat from either side over the first 30 minutes. The safety of knowing that a spot in the knockout stage awaited the two next year appeared throughout, not that the two teams were too cautious.
Both defenses were quite secure, but after a quarter of the game Liverpool at least succeeded in stretching out Napoli's and energising the action. After Tanguy Ndombele fired the visitors' opening shot of the game straight at Alisson after receiving Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's pass inside the box, the home team swiftly replied. Thiago Alcântara arrived unmarked on the brink of the Napoli penalty area after Salah made a break for it down the right and set him up. Meret blocked Thiago's shot at full stretch because the latter opted for positioning over strength.
Related article
Uproar as Jurgen Klopp survives touchline punishment
The coach of Liverpool, jurgen Klopp, tries to put Leeds' tragic drama into words
Trent Alexander-Arnold said Liverpool have to win at Tottenham or forget about the title
A few seconds later, Jones headed over while being pressed by Giovanni Di Lorenzo, the Napoli captain, after Roberto Firmino had flicked Alexander-deflected Arnold's cross back into the area with a lovely, aerial backheel. Later, Jones set Salah up for a clear shot at goal, but Meret stopped Salah before the Egyptian international was called for offside.
James Milner's forced removal with what appeared to be a hamstring injury early in the second half handed another shock to Liverpool's injury woes. The 36-year-old overstretched while attempting to shut down Mathias Olivera, who needed medical attention for a knock to the head just before halftime, and promptly signaled to the sideline. The dejected midfielder began to make his way toward the exit when Harvey Elliott joined the scene.
When Østigård scored a diving header beyond Alisson five minutes later, Klopp's issues seemed to get worse. Olivera was fouled by Fabinho, which gave Kvaratskhelia the opportunity to shoot a free kick from the left, which the attractive Georgian did expertly.
The Napoli defender, who was unmarked by Virgil van Dijk, headed the ball home with full stretch as the set piece arched over Victor Osimhen and Konaté and into the center of the Liverpool area. The goal was awarded, but a three-minute VAR review that forced players from both teams to warm up while they anticipated the decision revealed that the center defender's shoulder and ear were offside.
When play resumed, Napoli shouted, and defender Kim Min-jae ran into Firmino's back but managed to avoid receiving a booking. Osimhen's deep cross to the far post presented Kvaratskhelia with a fantastic opportunity to end Liverpool's sense of reprieve, but the forward was unmarked and volleyed weakly at Alisson.
To be honest, the intensity increased in the second half as Liverpool was challenged by Napoli's potent midfield and the home team's dangerous flanks. By inserting Nunez instead of Jones, Klopp made it clear that he wanted to win the match, and the decision paid off when the Uruguayan international was crucial to Liverpool's late victory. The center-forward nearly overshot the goal line with a strong downward header in response to Kostas Tsimikas' outswinging corner before Meret could sprint to clear it. Salah pushed the ball in from a yard away after the Napoli goalkeeper was only able to turn the ball on to him.
After Meret blocked Van Dijk's header in injury time from another Tsimikas corner, Nunez scored the second goal. The assistant referee initially ruled the goal offside, but VAR was able to determine that Di Lorenzo had intentionally played the substitute onside.
What do you think about this thrilling encounter
Comment below
