Liverpool host Italian side Napoli in what could be a decisive battle to decide the group winners of Champions League Group E.
The reds knocked Napoli out of the group stages last season by the thinnest of margins, number of goals scored, after both sides finished on 9 points. Liverpool obviously went on to win their sixth European Cup whilst Napoli were knocked out of the Europa League in the Quarter Finals.
Although LFC lost in Naples in the first group game this season the Italians have been plagued with issues this season. They have not win in their last six games and the squad are now facing a one week fine for failing to attend a training camp.
Mo Salah, who was on the bench at the weekend, has been continuing his training but Jurgen Klopp may elect to keep him in reserve ahead of the weekend's Premier League match against Brighton.
As it happened...
Liverpool lead the group on 9 points, with Napoli a point behind on 8.
RB Salzburg have 4 points and they are away to Genk tonight.
If Salzburg lose then Liverpool have qualified for the knockout stage.
If Liverpool win tonight then they have both qualified and won the group with a game to go.
Liverpool's final group game is in Salzburg in 13 days time.
Alexander-Arnold and Gini on the bench, Salah returns
Alisson, Gomez, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Adrian, Wijnaldum, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Shaqiri, Origi, Alexander-Arnold.
In the corresponding UEFA Youth League fixture at the Academy earlier today the reds U19's beat the Napoli youth side 7-0.
That included a Curtis Jones hat-trick.
Goalscorers: Curtis Jones (3), Luis Longstaff (2), Elijah Dixon-Bonner and Jake Cain with the goals.
Liverpool have kept just 2 clean sheets in their 13 Premier League games so far.
If that kind of ratio continues until May then it will be LFC's worst season for shutouts for an astonishing 55 years.
Here in the Champions League, the reds have conceded in each of the four group stage games.
Kick off hurtling towards us faster than an overruled VAR goal.
So yeah, about two minutes.
We're underway at Anfield.
2' Free kick from Napoli mid-way through the reds half.
Drilled straight into the Liverpool wall.
'Champions of Europe' is the chant from The Kop.
This is the 12th competitive fixture in which Carlo Ancelotti has faced Liverpool as opposition boss.
The reds have won 4 and lost 7 of the previous encounters.
Ancelotti is the last manager to win at Anfield in a European game. That was on the 22nd October 2014. The reds have not been beaten in 24 Anfield European games since.
14' Fabinho down. Medical staff on. Wijnaldum warming up on the touchline.
16' Fabinho has a chat with Jurgen on the touchline and he's back on the pitch.
Lovren had challenged Lozano and then gone into Fabinho.
Friendly fire.
19' Nah, he can't continue.
Fabinho coming off for Wijnaldum.
Fabinho will get at least a week off anyway now as he is suspended in the game against Brighton for collecting 5 yellow cards in the Premier League.
21' From bad to worse. Napoli take the lead through Dries Mertens.
Virgil van Dijk went down in the centre circle after going up for a header.
Seconds later the ball is played through and Dries Mertens fires across the net and into the goal.
Medics on the pitch treating van Dijk and Liverpool are 1-0 down.
Two VAR checks for that goal!!
Firstly they checked the foul and gave the goal.
And then they went for another VAR review to check for the offside.
Goal stands. 1-0 down.
Virgil van Dijk however is back on the pitch... but for how long.
31' Get the feeling that we're going to need a bit more attacking impetus now in this midfield.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is on the bench and has scored in the last two Champions League games.
Current midfield is now Wijnaldum, Henderson and Milner.
35' Two men at times on Sadio Mane who Napoli have clearly identified as the danger man.
He is fouled there but tries to play the free kick too quickly.
Eventual free kick arrives at the back post and van Dijk gets a header on target. That's Liverpool first serious attempt on target.
40' Mane and Firmino combine neatly there inside the area to finally wake up the Anfield crowd.
Move comes to nothing but Mane was unshackled there for a moment, and it was a neat flick from Bobby.
45' Mane goes down in the area. No penalty given by the ref.
Looked like it was a shoulder barge and not a foul but not seen a replay.
45+3' I don't think Klopp has been happy with some of the challenges on Sadio Mane in this half.
He gesticulates with the referee just a few yards away and gets a yellow card.
Liverpool 0-1 Napoli
Disappointing half for the reds. Fabinho injured early on and then van Dijk temporarily down allowing Napoli to score the game's only goal so far.
Liverpool only appeared to wake up in the final 5 or so minutes of that game.
Salzburg are leading elsewhere so the reds could really do with something from this game.
Back underway at Anfield. No changes for either team.
48' Mane fouled. Referee gives the free kick the other way.
Klopp on the touchline covers his mouth. He's on a yellow card remember.
55' Napoli keeper flaps at a cross, Firmino spins and pokes it back at the goal but Koulibaly clears off the line.
57' Oxlade-Chamberlain is on but he replaces Joe Gomez.
Jordan Henderson goes to right back.
61' Good interception and forward run by Andy Robbo.
There's not much support but he does pick out Salah who takes his shot too quickly and it's straight at Meret.
63' Good move by the reds, quick interplay. Oxlade-Chamberlain with an inch perfect cross to the back post but Firmino heads it wide.
65' It's DEJAN LOVREN.
Milner's comes into the centre of the area. Lovren leaps and puts it in the opposite side of the goal.
72' They bring on Fernando Llorente to replace Lozano.
78' Trent AA comes on for James Milner. Henderson returns to midfield as Trent takes up his space at right back.
81' Eljif Elmas comes on to replace goalscorer Dries Mertens.
90+2 Andy Robertson joins Jurgen Klopp in the referee's book.
90+3 Alexander-Arnold swings in a cross but Alex Meret comes out to claim.
Into the last minute of injury time. 1-1.
Last chance for Liverpool here? A free kick after a foul by Allan on VVD.
Liverpool 1-1 Napoli
The reds remain top of the group but it is going to go down to the final matchday.
Liverpool need a draw to qualify away at Salzburg. Salzburg have not been knocked out of the Champions League yet.
Liverpool fans leaving Anfield for the first time in over 9 months without having won the game.
Henderson: 'Second half we were searching for the second one but we kept going. We're still in a healthy position but we need to get a result in our final game. Second half I felt there was only one team who was going to win, but we couldn't find a winner.'
Klopp talking post match:
'Of course we would have wished for tonight (to finish the job). They (Napoli) think they are already through. Maybe they are.
'The one thing that shouldn't have happened with the way that Napoli had set themselves up was us conceding that goal. The last 15 minutes of the first half was like it should be in terms of intensity.
'The second half was intense. They defended well, they counter-attacked.
'It's still our situation. But even if we had won tonight we would have gone to Salzburg to try and win.
'They closed the centre so we had to come from the wing. We had a plan but the players had to execute it.
'We take that. It's always the hard way. That's what we do.'
