Liverpool 2-0 Napoli: Salah and Nunez strikes end Spalletti's side's unbeaten start

By Sports Desk November 01, 2022

Mohamed Salah's late goal gave Liverpool the lead before Darwin Nunez's stoppage-time sealer secured a 2-0 win over Napoli to give Jurgen Klopp victory in his 400th game in charge, ending the visitors' unbeaten start to the campaign.

Both sides were already assured of a place in the knockout stages of the competition, with only a four-goal winning margin enough to see Liverpool usurp Napoli in top spot.

The Reds managed two late strikes courtesy of Salah and Nunez, with Salah scrambling one over the line in the 85th minute after Alex Meret just about kept out substitute Nunez's header.

Nunez added a second from the final act of the match as Napoli, who earlier had a Leo Skiri Ostigard effort ruled out for offside, saw their unbeaten run ended at 17 matches.

Neither team could really find any rhythm in a quiet first half that took half an hour for the first shot on target to arrive, with Tanguy Ndombele forcing a save out of Alisson.

Liverpool attacked up the other end and only an Meret stop prevented Thiago Alcantara from opening the scoring, shortly before Curtis Jones headed just over the crossbar.

Ostigard guided Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's free-kick delivery past Alisson eight minutes into the second period, but VAR – after a three-minute wait – ruled the defender was offside.

Kvaratskhelia then had a powerful volley saved by Alisson as Napoli, who had won their previous five group outings with a competition-high 20 goals, pushed for a winner.

A winner did arrive, albeit at the other end as Meret prevented Nunez's header from crossing the line, but Salah was there on the follow-up to poke over the line.

Nunez, introduced in the 73rd minute, added further gloss to the scoreline when tapping in a saved Virgil van Dijk header from under the bar.

What does it mean? Victory for Klopp on milestone occasion

Liverpool did not win by the four-goal margin required, which was never likely against in-form Napoli, meaning they will be unseeded in Monday's draw for the last 16.

But the Reds at least manage to put Saturday's league loss to Leeds United behind them with a narrow, if arguably slightly undeserved, victory in Klopp's 400th match in charge.

It was also the German's 100th Champions League game in his career, making him the seventh manager to reach that figure.

Darwin's chaotic cameo

Nunez has gained a reputation of being an 'agent of chaos' because of his erratic playing style, and so that proved in his 20 minutes or so on the field against Napoli.

He played a big part in the opening goal and then added a late second, albeit after a nervy VAR check, for what was his first Liverpool goal in the Champions League.

Spalletti's side thwarted

Napoli had won 13 games in a row entering this match, including five from five in the Champions League with 20 goals scored – four short of Bayern Munich's all-time record.

The Serie A leaders managed just two shots on target and accumulated an expected goals (xG) value of 0.43, with this going down as an off-day for Luciano Spalletti's talented side.

What's next?

Liverpool will look to reignite their Premier League campaign when they travel to Tottenham on Sunday, while Serie A leaders Napoli head to second-place Atalanta on Saturday.

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    Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo expressed his pride in seeing compatriot Ryan Gravenberch show off his qualities ‘to the whole world’ after a fine start to the Premier League season.

    Though the Netherlands pair did not become teammates at Liverpool until late summer of 2023, Gakpo knew well Gravenberch’s talents from their respective Eredivisie spells with PSV Eindhoven and Ajax.

    Now in his second season at Anfield, Gravenberch has drawn widespread plaudits for his form in a new deeper-lying midfield role under new head coach Arne Slot, having largely been used as a substitute under Jurgen Klopp.

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    Southampton, meanwhile, welcome the Reds to St. Mary’s on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Wolves ahead of the international break, leaving them bottom of the table after 11 games of the season.

    The Saints are the lowest scorers in the Premier League this season (seven), while only Crystal Palace (5.1%) have a lower shot conversion rate than Russell Martin’s side (6.2%). Just 30.1% of Southampton’s shots have been on target this term (34/113), a league-low ratio.

    However, the Southampton head coach is relishing the opportunity of facing Liverpool, with his players performing well against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City already this term.

    "I'm really excited about Sunday. We're playing the best team in the country at the moment, on their current form and what they have been doing with their manager, built on an incredible foundation from the previous manager, so I'm really looking forward to it,” Martin said.

    "I think we showed the guys the Premier League table last season and how much it changed by the end and by the end of December. But it's honestly such an exciting month.

    "People talk about the difficulty of the game and every competition we face in the next four or five games, but it's what we all worked so hard for. We should be excited about the challenge.  

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    PLAYERS TO WATCH

    Southampton – Mateus Fernandes

    Fernandes has become a mainstay in the Southampton team, starting the last eight Premier League games in a row, and has been one of Martin’s standout performers in a lacklustre start to the campaign.

    In the Saints’ 2-0 defeat to Wolves last time out, the Portuguese contributed a team-high expected goals (xG) tally of 0.22 from his three shots, while only Yukinari Sugawara (10) and Flynn Downes (12) have created more chances in the top-flight than Fernandes (eight) this season.

    Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

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    He has also been directly involved in 67% of Liverpool’s Premier League goals this season (14/21 – eight goals, six assists), the highest ratio by a player for any side in the division in 2024-25. Indeed, only Matt Le Tissier for Southampton in 1993-94 (69% - 34/49) has scored or assisted a higher proportion of a side’s goals in a single season in the competition.

    MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

    Liverpool have won nine of their 11 Premier League games under new head coach Slot (D1 L1). A win over Southampton will see the Dutchman become the joint-fastest manager to reach 10 wins from the start of a Premier League career (12 games), alongside Guus Hiddink in May 2009 and Carlo Ancelotti in November 2009 (both with Chelsea).

    The Reds’ last Premier League game against the Saints was a 4-4 away draw in May 2023 – they conceded as many goals in that game as they had in their previous six visits to St Mary’s combined.

    Southampton have won just one of their last 14 Premier League games against Liverpool (D3 L10), a 1-0 home victory in January 2021.

    This will also be the first Premier League match between the side starting the day bottom of the table and the side starting the day top since April 2023, and Southampton’s 3-3 draw away to Arsenal. The league leaders are unbeaten in 14 such matches (W12 D2) since Wolves won 2-1 against Manchester United in February 2011.

    However, Southampton have only lost one of their last eight Premier League home games against sides starting the day at the summit (W2 D5) and are unbeaten in their last four (W2 D2 – including a 1-0 win over Liverpool in January 2021) since a 0-1 defeat to Man City in May 2018.

    But Martin’s side have lost nine of their 11 Premier League games this season (W1 D1). Only seven sides in English top-flight history have reached 10 defeats in 12 or fewer matches from the start of a campaign, with all seven going on to be relegated.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Southampton – 9.7%

    Draw – 12.6%

    Liverpool – 77.7%

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    Khadija Shaw opened the scoring in the 31st minute before Ellen Wangerheim restored parity shortly after the interval with a finish from close range. 

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    “I’m really pleased. It was about qualification for us tonight," Taylor said. 

    "There were a couple of ways we could do it. Obviously, we knew a point was enough, but I don’t think the players were thinking that way.

    “It was a really gritty performance on a really difficult on this pitch. It probably doesn’t look like that for the viewers at home watching it.

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    “I felt there were some areas we could control the play better. I have to give credit to Hammarby, they were really aggressive.

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  • McKenna fired up for 'biggest game in world football' against Man United McKenna fired up for 'biggest game in world football' against Man United

    Kieran McKenna believes Ipswich Town's Premier League clash with Manchester United will be the "biggest game in world football" this weekend.

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    While plenty of focus is on the visitors at Portman Road, Ipswich are fired up after beating Tottenham 2-1 before the international break.

    That was Ipswich's first league win of the season – and their first in the Premier League in 22 years – and now attention turns to facing United.

    McKenna, who previously coached United, said at a fan event this week: "Sunday, what a game. It's one we're really, really looking forward to.

    "Not for the personal connection, but as manager of Ipswich Town, to be on that stage, it's what we've worked so hard for.

    "It's the biggest game in world football anywhere this weekend, the biggest game in the world in the biggest sport in the world and it's at Portman Road."

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    Ipswich Town - Liam Delap

    Delap scored what proved to be Ipswich's winner against Tottenham and has now netted six of his side's 12 Premier League goals this term.

    That makes the Manchester City academy product one of only three players to have scored at least half of his side's goals in the competition this season, along with Erling Haaland at City (55%) and Chris Wood at Nottingham Forest (53%).

    Manchester United - Alejandro Garnacho

    Garnacho was among the scorers against Leicester two weeks ago and has now been directly involved in 20 Premier League goals for United (13 goals and seven assists).

    The Argentina international is one of only two non-British players to reach that figure for United before turning 21, along with Cristiano Ronaldo (25 goals).

    MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER UNITED WIN

    Ipswich are seeking back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since February 2022, with that run also beginning with a 2-1 victory against Tottenham.

    The Tractor Boys are the only side in the competition without a home win this season. Only five newly promoted clubs have failed to win any of their first six home matches, all of whom went back down.

    United have won 17 of their past 19 Premier League games against newly promoted opponents, meanwhile, including nine wins in a row in away fixtures.

    The Red Devils were 1-0 winners on their most recent league trip to Portman Road in April 2022, but only once have they won successive league games away to Ipswich.

    However, the Tractor Boys have lost four of their past five league matches against Man United, failing to score in each of those losses.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Ipswich Town - 22.2%

    Draw - 23%

    Manchester United - 54.8%

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