Preview: Liverpool vs. Napoli – Prediction, Team News, Lineups

Liverpool must beat Napoli by three or more goals if they are to leapfrog them into top spot in Group A.

The visitors, meanwhile, are aiming to maintain their 100% record in this season’s Champions League.

Liverpool booked their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the sixth successive season under Jurgen Klopp by beating Ajax 3-0 in Amsterdam last week.

With the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain looking like potential group winners, Klopp would love to avoid facing any of them in the last-16 by beating Napoli by three or more goals on Tuesday, but on current form that is a very tall order.

Indeed, Napoli’s 4-0 victory against Sassuolo on Saturday extended their winning run to a remarkable 13 matches in all competitions.

Their 3-0 win against Rangers last week took their record in this season’s Champions League to five wins from five matches, having scored a remarkable 20 goals across those victories, which is four more goals for than any other team in this season’s group stage.

However, with top spot not quite assured for them yet despite being in a strong position in terms of their to head-to-head record with Liverpool having beaten them 4-1 on matchday one, Spalletti will be urging his players to send out a statement by piling on the misery for Klopp’s men.

Liverpool will remain without Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip and Arthur due to long-term injuries, while Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were not named in the Reds’ Champions League squad due to having major muscle issues themselves.

With an important league game against Tottenham Hotspur ahead of them on Sunday, Klopp may be considering making changes for the visit of Napoli.

Napoli, meanwhile, are likely to travel without Salvatore Sirigu and Amir Rrahmani due to muscle strains, while Matteo Politano is only one booking away from incurring a one-match suspension in this competition and could therefore be rested.

Likewise, Victor Osimhen – who scored a hat-trick in his side’s 4-0 win against Sassuolo at the weekend – may not be risked having struggled with injury himself this season, with Giovanni Simeone potentially leading the line after bagging a brace against Rangers last week.

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Milner, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Elliott, Henderson, Jones; Salah, Firmino, Carvalho.

Napoli possible starting lineup:
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Ostigard, Kim, Rui; Ndombele, Lobotka, Elmas; Lozano, Simeone, Raspadori.