Wednesday night sees Liverpool take on Napoli at Anfield. It is a must win game for the Reds. Three points would guarantee Jürgen Klopp top spot in his Champions League group with a game to spare. If the Reds fail to win then they will go to Red Bull Salzburg knowing that they have to avoid defeat. We look at three Napoli players that Liverpool will have to stop.
Kalidou Koulibaly – centre back
An international teammate of Sadio Mane’s, Koulibaly is undoubtedly one of the best centre backs in world football. His imposing frame makes him a daunting task for any forward to get around and his aerial ability is domineering to say the least. Despite all of his attributes, he was still turned inside out by Mo Salah in this fixture last season. If the Reds are to get the three points that they need, we will need to show up the impressive Koulibaly.
Fabian Ruiz – attacking midfield
Fabian Ruiz has been linked with a move to Liverpool in recent months. The Spanish playmaker has exceptional vision, intelligent positioning, dribbling ability and he loves grabbing assists. He was impressive when we fell to defeat at the Stadio San Paolo back in September, we will need Fabinho to put a halt to his creative output.
Dries Mertens – striker
Now 32-years-old, the Belgian forward is still banging them in. Mertens has seven goals for Napoli this campaign, making him their top scorer. He has pace to burn, can bamboozle defenders with his agility and rarely passes up a chance. Virgil van Dijk will have to be on his toes all game in order to keep the diminutive forward at bay.
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