Napoli 4 Liverpool 1 LIVE REACTION: Reds THRASHED in Champions League after kamikaze show of defending in Naples

That’s all folks.

Liverpool leave Italy with their tail between their legs.

A historic night for The Reds for all the wrong reasons.

Zielinski’s brace, as well as a stunning performance from Anguissa and Kvaratskhelia left Liverpool with no answers.

They’re back in action against Wolves on Saturday before group leaders Ajax journey to Anfield next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Napoli will face Spezia hoping to strengthen their Serie A title credentials.

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Liverpool aren’t running like they used to.

Liverpool played in every single game possible last season, but has this taken its toll on the team?

It turns out that for the seventh straight game, Liverpool have been outworked by their opponents.

They have been trumped in both distance covered and high-speed sprints in each of the last seven games.

More from Klopp

“Yeah we played bad first half unfortunately but usually we don’t concede three goals, with Alisson Becker in goal it has to be really bad for that to happen.

“But we were bad enough. When we lost 2-0 here before it was an awful game as well.

“Now we have to reinvent ourselves. There’s a lot of things lacking.

“We play Wolves in three days and they probably cannot stop laughing and they’re thinking it’s the perfect moment (to play Liverpool). I would be thinking it’s the perfect moment.

“But now we have to try and find a set-up to be much better in pretty much everything.

“Yeah lot’s of soul searching (to do) because we weren’t working as a team.

“And it’s not a case of pointing at each other or personnel but in football if you have problems the solution is always football.

“But it’s my responsibility (to win games) and I need time to think about it.” (BT Sport)

Klopp on Napoli humiliation

Klopp: “Really tough, tough to take. It’s not really difficult to explain when you watch the game.

“First and foremost Napoli played a really good game and we didn’t. That is the first explanation for the defeat.

“They had two penalties, both a little bit unlucky but only one goes in. The other two we serve on a plate pretty much.

“Then yeah 3-0 down having chances never really in the game, not compact neither defensively or offensively.

“Until Thiago entered the pitch I can’t remember one counter-pressing situation.

“Everything was obvious but why it happened I cannnot answer it now.

“It’s a tough cookie to take but obviously, but I’ll have to take.” (BT Sport)

Robertson gives brutal Liverpool verdict.

Robertson: “We were too open. You can’t come to a place like this and not be compact.

“When somebody misses a challenge you need somebody to follow it up and back his mate up, but too many times we got turned and had that space opened up…

“We’ve been beat 4-1, we deserved it. We need to waken up quickly, we can’t perform like that.” (BT Sport)

Some more stats

• Expected Goals Napoli (4.59) 4-1 (1.17) Liverpool
• Liverpool have suffered the heaviest defeat by an English Premier League side in their opening game of a UEFA Champions League campaign since Arsenal lost 3-0 to Internazionale in 2003-04 – tonight was the Reds’ joint-heaviest defeat overall in the competition.
• Only two teams have scored 4+ Champions League goals against Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool: Roma and Napoli.

Results elsewhere:

Here’s a look at the other results from tonights games:

Group A: Ajax 4-0 Rangers

Group B: Atletico Madrid 2-1 FC Porto

Club Brugge 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen

Group C: Barcelona 5-1 Viktor Plzen

Inter 0-2 Bayern Munich

Group D: Eintracht Frankfurt 0-3 Sporting Lisbon

Tottenham 2-0 Marseille

Next opponent

Liverpool’s next opponent will be struggling Wolves at Anfield on Saturday.

The Reds will then host group leaders Ajax next Tuesday.

Both will be tough tests in their own right, but the fans will demand a positive reaction from the players to put the embarrassment of tonight behind them.

How Group A is looking

Following matchday one Group A looks like this:

1. Ajax Pts. 3 GA. +4
2. Napoli Pts. 3 GA +3
3. Liverpool Pts. 0 GA -3
4. Rangers Pts. 0 GA -4

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

What a result for Napoli. What a disaster for Liverpool.

It’s Liverpool’s heaviest European defeat since losing 3-0 to Barcelona in 2019 and matches a 3-0 defeat Real Madrid inflicted on them in 2014.

The only player who can walk away from this performance with their head held high is Luiz Diaz, the rest of the team were too far off the pace of Napoli.

Osimhen was brilliant before his substitution, while Kvaratskhelia left Alexander-Arnold worse for wear.

Anguissa though was brilliant throughout, he dominated the midfield and bagged himself a goal for his troubles.

FULL TIME: NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

90+3′ Anguissa truly has been everywhere tonight.

A truly stunning display from him.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

87′ Another break for Napoli.

Anguissa intercepts the ball in midfield and Napoli have a three-on-two situation.

But Zerbin fires a shot from outside the area straight at Alisson.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

82′ Game seems to have fizzled a bit.

Tempo has lessened but 10 new faces in a game can do that.

Diaz has remained the main threat for Liverpool.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

77′ The final change for Liverpool here.

New-signing Arthur comes on for his debut.

Far from the best circumstances but nevertheless he could add some dynamism to a lacklustre midfield.

Elliot makes way for him.

Also, Meret has remained down on the floor after a collision with Nunez.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

74′ Zielinski gets a standing ovation from the Napoli faithful as he makes way for Mario Rui.

Mathias Olivera also makes way for Eljif Elmas to complete the Napoli subs for the night.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

68′ End-to-end stuff in Naples with shots at both ends.

Nunez gets a shot off at goal in the penalty area but sees it blocked by a heroic piece of defending.

Napoli then break on the right side and fire a shot at goal from a narrow-angle, but the save is comfortable for Alisson.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

62′ Liverpool make some more changes.

A triple change from Klopp as he sends on Jota, Thiago and Nunez.

Firmino, Salah and Milner all make way.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

61′ Good save from Meret to deny Diaz.

Alexander-Arnold whips a ball to the edge of the area where Diaz thunders a header towards goal.

However, Meret is equal to it and pushes it over the bar.

Diaz is the one player who really looks on it tonight for The Reds, the rest really need to follow his lead.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

57′ Kvaratskhelia launches a counter-attack for Napoli here, but Liverpool get back in numbers and are able to defend.

However, it is his last action of the night as he is substituted for
Alessio Zerbin.

Hirving Lozano is also on for Matteo Politano.

Nunez warming up for Liverpool so expect a second change for Klopp’s side soon.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

53′ Kvaratskhelia knocks the ball around Alexander-Arnold again but the loose ball is cleared by Van Dijk.

Alexander-Arnold has had not answer for him today.

Kvaratskhelia has been very impressive tonight, definitely one to watch out for going forward.

NAPOLI 4-1 LIVERPOOL

49′ Liverpool finally come alive in the final third.

Luiz Diaz gets to the penalty area and fires a curling effort into the bottom corner, his fourth of the season.

Comeback on?

GOAL

Diaz pulls one back.

NAPOLI 4-0 LIVERPOOL

46′ Zielinski gets in behind and exposes the Liverpool defence again.

He forces a save from Alisson but is first to the rebound and dinks the ball over the Brazilian.

GOAL

THEY’VE GOT ANOTHER ONE