In what was unquestionably the worst performance of the new season thus far, the Reds stumbled in their second Champions League match. Liverpool fell to Napoli 1-0 at Stadio San Paolo.
Apart from the triumvirate of Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, and Joe Gomez, Liverpool played poorly from start to finish. In fact, the scoreline could have been a lot worse. After the best start in club history, the Reds have spent the last week struggling.
Against Napoli, Liverpool looked listless in the first half, never able to actually get a foothold in the game. As good as the home side may have played, the Reds were their own worst enemy. Everything looked out of sync, the passing, movement, and pace. With and without the ball, Liverpool languished while Napoli attacked with aggression but profligacy.
While the second half picked up for both sides, Napoli was by far the better of the two. After so many games in such short succession, Liverpool looked even leggier than they had in either match against Chelsea. None of the substitutes seemed to make much difference either.
Liverpool nearly hung on for a point. Yet, in the end, it was a last gasp counter-attack finish from Lorenzo Insigne. The pacey attacker slid onto the end of an excellent, low cross that curved behind the defence, leaving Alisson defenceless. Napoli deserved the win.
Here are four findings from the match.
