The sound was unmistakable after the final whistle at Anfield on Tuesday night. Liverpool had seen off Rangers 2-0 thanks to goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, but supporters were left shocked by one final piece of action as they departed their seats.
Long-serving voice of Anfield, stadium announcer George Sephton, informed listening Kopites of the final score in the other Champions League Group A encounter - ‘Ajax 1-6 Napoli’.
Audible gasps were clear as supporters exclaimed, ‘What?!’ in disbelief, with the Serie A side leaving Reds shaken for the second time in four weeks. But it’s one thing defeating an out-of-form, low on confidence Liverpool 4-1 in Naples, a stadium where they had previously never even scored in previous visits, never mind won. It’s another entirely departing Amsterdam and the home of Johan Cruyff’s ‘Total Football’ with such an emphatic win.
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Jurgen Klopp’s side have grown accustomed to conquering all of Europe. As supporters regularly remind onlookers, they’re never going to stop, with a return of three Champions League finals in five seasons proof of that, even if their side has been rather off the boil during the opening two months of the campaign.
Despite their loss of form as the hangover from last season’s Champions League final continues in one form or another, the Reds do remain on course to qualify for this season’s knockout stages as we reach the halfway point in this year’s group-stages. Their loss in Naples might leave three points behind Group A leaders Napoli, but they’re three points clear of Ajax courtesy of last month’s 2-1 win at Anfield.
With Liverpool travelling to Ibrox next week as Ajax travel to Napoli, victory for Jurgen Klopp’ side could effectively put one foot in the knockout stages. If not, their trip to Amsterdam on October 26 has the potential to secure it regardless.
Given their form and start to the season, this year qualification alone is enough of an aim for the Reds. But it is still in contrast to their recent continental exploits when conquering all of Europe when top spot felt like a given.
The fact that Napoli can provide such intimidation is a further sign of how bruised Klopp’s Liverpool currently are as they continue to wait for open wounds to heal. Hopefully the manner of their victory over Rangers will prove to be more than a plaster over the cracks.
Of course, football is not won on paper and a group of death scenario could still emerge should the Reds not complete a double over the Scottish giants, Ajax exact revenge on in Naples or Liverpool don’t follow Napoli’s example when making their own trip to Amsterdam.
But as things stand, Klopp’s side are poised for a decisive showdown with the Neapolitans at Anfield. Yet again.
The Reds needed to win with a clean sheet or by two clear goals to make the last 16 in a final day meeting with Napoli back in December 2018, as Mohamed Salah’s solitary strike ensured their progress alongside Paris Saint-Germain at the Italians’ expense. Yet if not for Alisson’s stunning late save to deny Arkadiusz Milik in stoppage-time, Klopp’s men would have suffered a group-stage exit, with a would-be draw consigning them to Europa League football. Instead, they finished the season as champions of Europe.
The stakes weren’t quite so high when they met at Anfield again 12 months later, this time in the penultimate group game with both sides looking to progress. A victory would have secured Liverpool’s place as group-winners yet they were left needing at least a point in their final group game at Red Bull Salzburg to secure top spot after Dejan Lovren's header cancelled out Dries Mertens' opener.
Of course it’s too early to predict what exactly will be at stake when Klopp’s men again welcome Napoli to Anfield on November 1, but they are already well-aware that the Italians will be no pushovers.
As things stand, the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and PSG could await should the Reds not progress as group-winners. An even more intimidating prospect, even if you’d hope Liverpool have rediscovered some sort of form by 2023.
Yet the gasps at the final whistle after hearing Napoli’s latest domineering win made the Reds’ recent plight even more clear. Where once they feared no-one, now they remain vulnerable. A 2-0 victory over Rangers, however convincing yet not as emphatic as either the Italians or Dutch, has not resuscitated Klopp’s men just yet.
A step in the right direction at least, but an unwanted reality check all the same. With Premier League clashes with Arsenal and Man City sandwiching Liverpool’s trip to Rangers, they still need to rediscover their own fear-factor and fast.
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