Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara has given his prediction for whether Liverpool are going to beat Napoli tonight.
Predicting tonight’s Champions League games for TalkSPORT, O’Hara gave his take on what he deemed to be a ‘must win’ for the Reds.
“It’s a must win for Liverpool really, just in terms of their Premier League form’s not been good has it. I think he’ll [Klopp] probably play a strong side. I’ll go draw, 2-2,” said the pundit.
Given that both teams are already through to the knockout stages, to term the game a ‘must win’ feels a stretch. But given their poor form of late, and the big game coming at the weekend, it probably is a ‘must not lose.’
With Napoli on a 13-game winning streak and unbeaten this season, that may be easier said than done for Liverpool tonight.
Liverpool fans not holding their breath for improvements
Most Liverpool fans would probably bite your hand off for O’Hara’s prediction to come true this evening.
Although it would see the Reds come second in their group, it would be nice to avoid another defeat. More than anything, fans just need to see an improved performance.
Whether that leads to a win, a draw or a loss is somewhat inconsequential tonight. The result will have no bearing on Liverpool’s season, really.
But if Liverpool lose having put in a better performance, some fans would take that. We just cannot watch the same lethargic, sloppy display that seems to be on constant repeat right now.
Play as they did against Leeds, or Nottingham Forest, this evening, and you feel Napoli will pick them off.
The 4-1 defeat in September’s reverse fixture should have been a wake-up call or the Reds. It wasn’t. And although Liverpool are yet to be beaten as heavily as that since, performances have been similarly abysmal.
Before every game, you believe that Liverpool can’t be that bad again. Surely not. And then, inevitably, they are.
That can’t be the case tonight. Napoli are red-hot and Liverpool have got to find a way to manage. Lose again, and confidence will be at rock bottom with a trip to Tottenham fast approaching. Come on Liverpool, stand up.
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