Champions League is back, and this Tuesday, one of the most exciting games is the duel between Liverpool and Napoli. This is a key match for the two and has the potential to decide which team will advance to the knockout stage. Liverpool need to win it, but if Napoli score even once, the things can get even more complicated. All of this promises a very entertaining duel at the Anfield and if you want to bet on it, make sure first to read this Liverpool vs Napoli prediction!
Liverpool
The Reds are finally at the top of the Premier League, after Man City lost to Chelsea last weekend. But, although Jürgen Klopp might decide to prioritize the English top flight over the Champions League, it doesn’t mean that this team can’t fight on two fronts.
They have a chance to get to the knockout stage of the Champions League if they perform well on Tuesday evening. Any by ‘well’ I mean that they need to beat Napoli. But, things are a little bit complicated here, because the Reds have 3 points less than Napoli. Because they lost 1:0 in Naples, Liverpool need now to beat them 1:0. They have a better overall goal difference, so winning 1:0 would get them above Napoli.
But, if Napoli score one goal, everything will go their way, because of the away goal rule. In the case that Napoli score one goal, Liverpool would have to score three in order to get to the knockouts. Of course, all this is assuming that PSG are gonna beat Red Star in Belgrade.
Now that you know all these facts, it’s obvious that Liverpool are the ones who are going to attack from the very start of the match. Considering how powerful this team is in the attack, I do believe that they can turn their chances into goals. And we mustn’t forget that the game is played at Liverpool’s turf, where they lost only twice this year (two domestic cup games).
Napoli
Napoli are currently on the top of the Group C table and they plan to stay there. But, in order to achieve their plan, they need to perform well in England. A draw would be enough for them, which is why I believe Carlo Ancelotti will come up with a tactic that will focus on protecting their net, while simultaneously creating themselves chances from counterattacks.
This team has some really pacey forwards who couple outrun Liverpool defenders. On top of that, they’re also really good when it comes to set-pieces, which is another worry for the Reds. And considering how well they’ve been playing lately, their confidence ahead of this duel is really high.
They’ve been particularly great in the final third, having scored in each of their previous 6 matches, counting all competitions. Even though they played against some really tough opponents in those games (e.g. PSG and Juventus), they did manage to score a total of 13 goals.
Team News
Liverpool absentees:
- Joe Gomez (injury)
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (injury)
- Dominic Solanke (doubtful)
- Dejan Lovren (doubtful)
Napoli absentees:
- Simone Verdi (injury)
- Vlad Chiriches (injury)
Possible Lineups
Liverpool
Alisson – van Dijk, Matip, Milner, Robertson – Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita – Salah, Mane, Firmino
Napoli
Ospina – Albiol, Koulibaly, Hysaj, Rui – Allan, Hamsik, Ruiz – Callejon, Mertens, Insigne
Liverpool vs Napoli Prediction
Liverpool need a goal ASAP and if that happens early on, Napoli will have to open up and try to get one in the Reds’ net. And that means the chances are we’re going to see lots of goals.
Liverpool vs Napoli Betting Tips
- Liverpool @1.62 (William Hill)
- BTS @1.57 (bet365)
- Over 3.5 Goals @2.42 (Unibet)