Napoli bested Group E rivals Liverpool earlier in this Champions League campaign, but the chances of another win over the titleholders on Wednesday look slim after a rut in form. Liverpool has gone unbeaten in 13 matches since losing 2-0 in Naples in September—still its only defeat this season—while Carlo Ancelotti’s men haven’t won a game in more than a month.
Liverpool vs. Napoli
Date: Wed. November 27
Time: 3:00 PM ET
TV Channel: TNT
Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)
The silver lining for Napoli is that it’s lost only once in 11 games. In fact, Ancelotti has led his team to only three defeats this term. However, it’s difficult to mask the notion it appears to have lost the will to win, drawing seven of its last 10 games (including the last three in a row).
Roberto Firmino struck near full time to give the Reds a 2-1 victory away to Crystal Palace on Saturday. The same day, Napoli led AC Milan for all of five minutes at the San Siro, before conceding to see out a 1-1 draw.
It just so happens Napoli’s last win in all competitions was a 3-2 Champions League result away to Red Bull Salzburg, providing some inspiration as to what the team is capable of. The Azzurri drew 0-0 at Genk in its previous away Champions League fixture, indicative of the inconsistency posed by this Napoli team.
Jurgen Klopp’s men have proved far more reliable. Liverpool has kept an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League and couldn’t be happier with its manager. Meanwhile, Ancelotti has been dogged by speculation over his future with Napoli currently seventh in Serie A.
An attacking drought, in particular, seems to have hampered Napoli of late. The team scored 15 goals in its first five games of the 2019-20 campaign, but there’s a sense of promise going unfulfilled after the team’s scored just 13 times in its 12 outings since then.
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was an unused substitute against Palace and should return to the starting lineup midweek, while centre-back Joel Matip looks likely to remain sidelined. Napoli left-backs Mario Rui and Faouzi Ghoulam each missed the draw against Milan, with the former in contention to return midweek. Striker Arkadiusz Milik was absent for that clash, but is also hoping to be featured in Ancelotti’s plans on Merseyside.
A win for either team at Anfield on Wednesday will guarantee a place in the last 16, but Napoli is in need of a result with third-place Salzburg not quite out of the qualification race just yet.
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