Jurgen Klopp admits Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical adjustments made life difficult for Liverpool. “We were not brilliant, but we put pressure on.”
Dries Mertens had opened the scoring from a tight angle, but Dejan Lovren nodded in a corner for the 1-1 Champions League draw at Anfield.
This means Liverpool still have a one-point lead at the top of the group, but Napoli’s final game is with Genk, whereas the reigning champions must travel to RB Salzburg.
Jurgen Klopp admits Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical adjustments made life difficult for Liverpool. “We were not brilliant, but we put pressure on.”
Dries Mertens had opened the scoring from a tight angle, but Dejan Lovren nodded in a corner for the 1-1 Champions League draw at Anfield.
This means Liverpool still have a one-point lead at the top of the group, but Napoli’s final game is with Genk, whereas the reigning champions must travel to RB Salzburg.
"In the Napoli dressing room they feel like they are already through and maybe they are. Everybody here thinks, 'Oh my god, it will be tough' and it will be tough, that much is clear,” Klopp told BT Sport.
Ancelotti surprised by using Nikola Maksimovic as a right-back and Giovanni Di Lorenzo in a more advanced role, rather than Jose Callejon.
“The way Napoli set up, it didn't help that they scored, they could follow their plan all the time, we had to increase pressure all the time.
“We were not brilliant, but we put pressure on them. I was not happy with the last 15 minutes of the first half. Second half it was just intense and of course it's not easy, they really defended the goal they had.
“We didn't have the biggest chances, maybe one or two. For tonight it might not be enough, but it's still our situation. When we go to Salzburg, if we had done it tonight, we would try to win there, so it's still our goal.
“They closed the centre so we needed to come from the wing. The plan is one thing, but the boys have to execute it, and they crossed too early. We take that, it was always a hard one.”
Liverpool were forced into a change after just 20 minutes, as Fabinho was hurt when Hirving Lozano accidentally fell on him.
“The biggest thing is the Fabinho injury, that's massive. It's early and we all hope it's not too serious but it's pretty painful and in an area you don't want to have pain, around the ankle.”