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Group C of the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League season was billed as the “group of death”, and it has been full of mouth watering encounters since matchday 1. The failure of any team in the group to take the reins has seen the qualification process go down to the wire.
PSG are favourites to qualify from the group, as a victory at Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday will ensure qualification to the round of 16. The Liverpool vs Napoli tie is where the qualification gets tricky.
With this group still finely poised, here’s a look at reasons why Liverpool will defeat Napoli.
#1 Napoli’s poor away record against English opposition
Napoli has a wretched away record on English soil. In six away games to English opposition including Burnley, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal, they have lost 5 times, and drawn the other one. In all these six encounters, they have scored just 3 times and conceded 15 times.
Historical records can be deceptive at times because some of these games were played a long time ago, and records do not give recourse to the status of the club at that time. However, for Napoli to succeed and break the huddle, they will have to put in a great performance and hope that Liverpool are not at it all evening.
#2 The Anfield factor
“European nights at Anfield” is a famous catchphrase when referring to Liverpool’s performances on home soil in European competitions. The supporters of The Reds create an atmosphere so intimidating that opposition fans and players find it difficult to cope.
When the Liverpool faithful get riled up and produce a truly amazing atmosphere, there is no telling what The Reds could do to any opposition they encounter.
#3 Liverpool’s newfound defensive nous
The biggest improvement of Liverpool in the past 18 months has been their defensive rigidity. In previous years, the Liverpool defense was fragile and unable to hold its own against any sort of opposition.
Liverpool often required a good number of goals before they won any game, because they would always concede. The acquisition of Virgil van Dijk reinforced their defense, and saw them go on a run to the UCL final last season.
The defense of Liverpool now acts as the basis for the attacking prowess they have to thrive. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Sadio Mane have been allowed to fully express their potential with a rock solid defense behind them.
In order to leave Anfield having qualified for the round of 16, Napoli would have to unsettle the Liverpool defense, as well as contain their attack.
