Liverpool struck two late goals to end Napoli's 21-game unbeaten streak and finish their Champions League group stage campaign in style at Anfield.
With both teams already qualified for the knockout stages, the game contained plenty of quality but lacked incision until a late flourish. The deadlock was broken in scrappy fashion in the 85th minute when Mohamed Salah reacted quickest to poke home a loose ball after goalkeeper Alex Meret pushed out Darwin Nunez's header from a corner.
Liverpool doubled their lead deep into injury time when Nunez poked in the rebound after Meret kept out Virgil van Dijk's downward header. A VAR check showed Nunez was just onside.
They had earlier come closest when Meret pushed away Thiago Alcantara's side-footed effort on the break, while Napoli thought they had opened the scoring earlier in the second half through Leo Ostigard, only for the centre-back to see his diving header ruled out for offside.
Napoli came into the game unbeaten since April and on a 13-match winning streak, so this was an impressive scalp for Liverpool, despite the dead rubber nature of the game. Jurgen Klopp's side still go through second in Group A, having fallen short of the four-goal swing they needed to leapfrog the visitors, but this was a morale-boosting victory following the 2-1 loss against Leeds on Saturday.
Here Mirror Football looks at the winners and losers from the final Champions League group game of the season.
WINNERS
Trent Alexander-Arnold
All of the Liverpool players had a point to prove after losing to Leeds. But with the World Cup on the horizon and England squad places potentially up for grabs, given the injuries to his competitors, this was a particularly important night for Alexander-Arnold.
He knew he would be given a difficult examination at right-back, with Napoli’s star of the moment, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, up against him. After a shaky start, in which the Georgian winger got past him a few times, it was a strong display from the Liverpool man.
While he is usually known for his attacking play, creativity and set piece delivery, it was Alexander-Arnold’s defending which stood out on Tuesday night – perhaps because there was little riding on the result.
It wasn’t all good though. He was bizarrely called up for a foul throw in the first half and picked up a yellow card in baffling circumstances in the second period, with the referee appearing to penalise him for nudging a ball away to slow down a Napoli throw-in.
Ibrahima Konate
This was just his second start of the season following injury troubles. And it was a welcome return for the towering centre-back, who partnered Virgil van Dijk on his 200th appearance for the club.
It’s easy to forget that Konate was Klopp’s preferred choice alongside Van Dijk at the back end of last season, ahead of Joel Matip, but against a top-quality European side this was a timely reminder.
Konate was strong up against Napoli dangerman Victor Osimhen and, although he gave away some fouls, he was a commanding presence in the Reds’ penalty area. That said, he was perhaps fortunate that Ostigard’s goal was ruled out for offside, given he was the nearest defender to the Napoli centre-back.
Curtis Jones
Liverpool’s team sheet prompted a question about their formation. Would it be a continuation of their 4-4-2 flirtation, with Salah and Firmino up front, or a lopsided 4-3-3? And if so, which midfielder would be pushed forward?
Klopp gave the answer in his pre-match interview with BT Sport. “For us tonight, we want to play a 4-3-3, but it’s difficult because Curtis will play on the left wing – he’s a really good footballer and can play between the lines but we also need him behind as well,” he said. "We need to use our wings but on the other side it’s very important that we defend properly.”
Jones made a good go of playing the unfamiliar position. He was bright in the first half, lifting a dink onto the roof of the net and heading over. He left the pitch to a hearty round of applause in the 73rd minute.
Like many Liverpool players, Jones has been frustrated by injuries this season. This performance suggests he’s got plenty to offer Klopp in the coming weeks and months.
Darwin Nunez
Nunez started the night as a loser, having been dropped from Klopp's starting XI. But he ended it as the hero, following a strange ending at Anfield.
The Uruguayan is an agent of chaos and he ending up contributing a goal and an assist following two scrappy set piece goals. It was his header which Meret pushed out for Salah to open the scoring and he was following in Van Dijk's effort to grab himself a goal.
That was exactly the kind of impact Klopp was hoping for when he put the young forward on.
LOSER
James Milner
The last thing Liverpool needed was another injury. Milner suffered a bloodied head in a clash with Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa and needed treatment. He played on for the rest of the half and came out after the break, but hit the floor soon after and called for the bench.
Milner was seen pointing to his head and grimacing before being substituted by Klopp, prompting concerns he might have suffered a concussion. It remains to be seen what the prognosis is, but either way – concussion or muscle injury – Milner’s absence could be another headache for Klopp.
