Liverpool visit Napoli in the Champions League this Wednesday, so HITC Sport have taken a look at a combined XI for the two sides – headlined by Mohamed Salah and Piotr Zielinski.
The midweek meeting marks the seventh time the Reds and Azzurri will have met and fifth during the last four years. UEFA also drew the Premier League and Serie A sides together in the opening round for the proper 2018/19 and 2019/20 editions of the Champions League.
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Napoli won in two of their group stage matches against Liverpool during the premier UEFA tournament, whilst the Merseysiders have one win. The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona natives had the edge during both of their home encounters, while losing at Anfield in 2018.
Liverpool failed to score in either of their trips to Naples in 2018 or 2019, losing the games 1-0 and 2-0, as well. While their uneasy 2018/19 campaign saw the Reds need a final game result to finish as runners-up to Paris Saint-Germain in Group C, with nine points in six ties.
Yet Jurgen Klopp took his team from the fringes of a first-round elimination all the way to a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the final. It was the Reds’ sixth and most recent title in the tournament, while Napoli matched their best finish yet of the Round of 16 in 2019/20.
Liverpool and Napoli will now meet on Wednesday night to begin their Group A campaigns for the 2022/23 edition. So, with that in mind, what would a combined XI for the two clubs look like – headlined by Salah in the frontline, and Zielinski commanding the engine room?
Alisson (GK): Brazilian between the posts in combined Liverpool, Napoli XI
Alisson Becker would be between the posts in a combined XI for Liverpool and Napoli. The Brazilian has kept two clean sheets over his first six Premier League games of the term. He was also brilliant to ensure the Reds stayed level against Everton in the Merseyside derby.
The 29-year-old remains alert throughout matches, even when rarely tested, and was key to the Reds avoiding a larger defeat against Manchester United last month. Alisson’s quick reactions to rush off his line will be key when his Anfield natives travel to Naples this week.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (RB): Liverpool defender still a star despite shaky form
Trent Alexander-Arnold has endured a shaky start to the season so far with a host of early, inconsistent performances. His passing has been wayward a little too often, while his work defensively can be questioned. But he is also still able to produce his trademark deliveries.
Virgil van Dijk (CB): Napoli will want to keep the ball away from Liverpool enforcer
Napoli will want to repeat what Everton tried in the Merseyside derby by keeping the ball away from Virgil van Dijk as much as possible when they host Liverpool. The Dutchman is again the leading star in Klopp’s defence, but has shown he can be dragged out of position.
Kim Min-Jae (CB): Napoli found a gem in Koulibaly replacement this summer
Napoli sold Kalidou Koulibaly to Chelsea for £33m in July and replaced the 31-year-old with Kim Min-Jae. The Azzurri paid Fenerbahce £16m for the South Korea star, who was also on Tottenham Hotspur’s shortlist, per Martin Lipton, and Everton’s radar, per CalcioNapoli24.
Min-Jae has since started all five of the Azzurri’s opening Serie A fixtures, while scoring two goals. Now, Liverpool will have to overcome the 25-year-old’s aerial threat when the Reds come up against the 6 ft 2 enforcer and his tenacious work rate during Wednesday night.
Andrew Robertson (LB): Scot still striving for consistency after benching
Andrew Robertson will hope to bounce back from being benched for the Merseyside derby when Liverpool face Napoli. The Scot is still striving for consistency this season after a host of energetic displays with an attacking influence, but his defensive work can also fall short.
Piotr Zielinski (CM): Napoli star showing why West Ham wanted his transfer
Piotr Zielinski is showing with his early efforts in Serie A this season why West Ham United wanted his transfer this summer. The Napoli midfielder has provided three assists and one goal over his first five appearances, and he will try to pull the strings at home to Liverpool.
Reports by Gazzetta dello Sport noted David Moyes was prepared to pay €35m (£30m) for the Poland international. But Sky Sports reported the Azzurri demanded in excess of €40m (£34.5m), while Zielinski was torn about giving up Champions League football this season.
Fabinho (CM): Liverpool star the anchor of combined XI with Napoli
Fabinho would be the anchor of an engine room combined of Liverpool and Napoli players. The Brazilian regularly screens the Reds backline at a high level, and often starts attacking moves on Merseyside when allowed time and space to turn and look up whilst on the ball.
Harvey Elliott (CM): Youngster shining in injury-ravished Liverpool unit
Harvey Elliott has been shining in an injury-ravished Liverpool engine room so far this term while Klopp has been without Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and/or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, delivering a flurry of intelligent top-flight displays at just 19 years old.
The youngster has displayed a supreme awareness to get Liverpool moving, while regularly providing supreme energy in the middle third. He has also been a reliable threat when in a more advanced role, and not shackled by defensive duties – an area of his game he lacks.
Mohamed Salah (RW): Egyptian causes panic even when rarely involved
Mohamed Salah has consistently caused panic among Premier League defences so far this season, even when he has rarely been involved. The Egyptian has not hit his peak form yet this term with an occasionally quiet role in matches, but only needs one moment to strike.
Victor Osimhen (ST): Napoli star keeping Liverpool’s Nunez out of combined XI
With Darwin Nunez still finding his feet at Liverpool after a summer transfer from Benfica, Victor Osimhen heads into Wednesday’s Champions League encounter as the lead striker in a combined XI between the Reds and Napoli following a solid start to the Serie A season.
Osimhen has two goals and an assist through his first five Serie A appearances, and a host of further chances on goal. While Nunez returned against Everton from a three-match ban for headbutting Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen, but did not add to his goal at Fulham.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (LW): Napoli winger one for Liverpool to watch for
Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is one who Liverpool will need to watch out for in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Georgian has produced a sensational start to his Serie A career after he joined the Azzurri this summer on a five-year contract until 2027.
The 21-year-old has four goals and an assist through his first five Italian top-flight outings, starting four. He is simply taking Serie A by storm in the void of Lorenzo Insigne, playing an integral role in Luciano Spalletti’s side and sending defenders skating with clever footwork.
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