Champions League: Liverpool vs Napoli preview

Liverpool host Italian club Napoli in matchday 5 of Group E, tomorrow night at Anfield.

Liverpool are top of the group with 9 points (3 wins and 1 loss), despite losing to Napoli 2-0 in September, whereas the away side are second with 8 points (2 wins and 2 losses).

The winner of the tie at Anfield will qualify for the next round of the Champions League.

Liverpool will be going into the match after narrowly beating Crystal Palace 2-1, and Napoli drew 1-1 to AC Milan at home on the weekend.

Napoli have not won since their 3-2 victory at Red Bull Salzburg in October, drawing five times and losing once.

It’s highly likely that the winner will go on to top the group.

Jurgen Klopp has spoken very highly of Napoli as he prepares to face the side on Wednesday night: "I expect Napoli to be really strong for a number of reasons.”

"They are a really good football team and now they're not in Italy, they feel maybe relief they can play in this game. We have to be ready for that.

"We have to make sure from the first second this is a different place. We want to go as far as possible in the Champions League. Napoli are experienced, tactically strong, super players,” said Klopp.

Team News

Liverpool defenders Joel Matip and Nathanial Clyne will miss this fixture due to their long term injuries, but forward Mohammed Salah may return to the starting line up after being selected for the bench in their last match.

Napoli’s larger injury list consists of full backs Kevin Malcuit and Faouzi Ghoulam, forward Arkadiusz Milik and club captain Lorenzo Insigne.

Head to Head

Liverpool have won both their home European games against Napoli, winning 3-1 in the 2010-11 Europa League and 1-0 in last season's Champions League.

Napoli won 2-0 against Liverpool on matchday one of this season's Champions League -only two teams have ever won home and away against the reigning champions in the group stage (Ajax against AC Milan in 1994-95 and CSKA Moscow against Real Madrid in 2018-19).

Liverpool have won six of their seven home European Cup/Champions League games against Italian opposition - the exception was a 2-1 defeat by Fiorentina in December 2009 under Rafael Benitez.

In European competition, this will be Napoli's 10th away match in England - they have won none of their previous nine (D1, L8), facing six different English teams in that time (Arsenal, Burnley, Chelsea, Leeds United, Liverpool and Manchester City).

Prediction

Considering both sides current form, Liverpool are the clear favourites.

Napoli have been struggling in the league, where as the home side have shown title winning mentality as they remain unbeaten in the league this season.

However, Napoli will know how important finishing top of Group E will mean for their chances later on in the competition and may give everything to get 3 points against ‘The Reds’.

Anfield has become an impenetrable fortress whilst under Jurgen Klopp, and I believe it will continue to remain that way.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Napoli