Napoli v Liverpool predicted XIs: Team news as Souness offers Salah warning
Liverpool get their 2022/23 Champions League conquest underway when they travel to face Napoli on Wednesday at 8pm (UK time).
These two sides last met in the 2019/20 Champions League group stage when Liverpool were defending champions, but it was Napoli who got the upper hand winning at home before leaving Anfield with a point.
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Napoli team news vs Liverpool: Make this bit bespoke to an angle or leave blank
- Outs: Diego Demme
- Doubts: Hirving Lozano, Victor Osimhen
Hirving Lozano had to come off in the win over Lazio on a stretcher after a clash of heads with Adam Marusic. Napoli have confirmed the Mexican has avoided facial fractures and was able to travel back with his teammates, however, he is a naturally doubt for Wednesday’s game. Victor Osimhen is also a “serious doubt” with an injury picked up at the weekend, and trained away from the team as a result. Diego Demme is definitely out, still recovering from a foot injury.
Predicted Napoli XI vs Liverpool:
- Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Rui; Zielinski, Lobotka, Anguissa; Politano, Simeone, Kvaratskhelia. (4-3-3)
Liverpool team news vs Napoli: Make this bit bespoke to an angle or leave blank
- Outs: Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson, Ibrahima Konate
- Doubts: Thiago, Fabio Carvalho, Caoimhin Kelleher
It might be quicker to announce which players are available for Liverpool than those who aren’t, with Jurgen Klopp’s squad seriously hampered ahead of a busy period. The midfield problem, including injuries to Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain saw Liverpool loan Arthur from Juventus on the final day of the window and he could make a start on Wednesday. Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain are long-term absentees and, as a result, have not been named in Liverpool’s Champions League squad but Klopp will be hoping Thiago is available to play a part.
A lot of eyes will also be on Mohamed Salah who has been fairly underwhelming compared to his high standards. The Egyptian has scored two goals and recorded two assists in six Premier League matches this season but has drawn a blank in three games and was perfectly dealt with against Everton at the weekend.
And former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness hopes Salah hasn’t cooled things down after signing a new deal in the summer, having looked in danger of leaving.
“I mentioned Salah at the weekend, and I hope I’m wrong when I’m saying this because hopefully he saw it at the weekend and gets angry with me and says I’m going to prove him wrong,” he told talkSPORT.
“I just hope it’s not the case with him that he’s signed a new contract and he’s got in his armchair.
“I say that because think of Ozil and Aubameyang at Arsenal, that’s exactly what happened with them and a big contract.”
READ MORE: How to watch Napoli v Liverpool online
Predicted Liverpool XI vs Napoli:
- Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Arthur; Salah, Firmino, Diaz; Nunez. (4-2-3-1)
