Napoli 1-0 Liverpool: Reds beaten late on in Naples as hosts grab deserved win - 5 talking points

Napoli's Jose Callejon tackles Liverpool's James Milner [Courtesy]

Liverpool thought they'd ground out a point in Naples, only for the hosts to grab a deserved win late on.

Carlo Ancelotti's side launched wave after wave of attacks on the visitors' goal, but the Reds held firm thanks largely to a brilliant display from their centre-back pairing, particularly Joe Gomez.

But Jose Callejon's cross was turned in by Lorenzo Insigne a minute from time to win it for the Serie A side.

The Reds - who lost Naby Keita to injury early on - created very few chances, and now find themselves in a three-team scrap in Champions League Group C, as they join PSG and Napoli on three points.

Here are the talking points.

1. Naby Keita's early exit highlights Liverpool's midfield strength... but not creativity

It hasn't been the "take on all comers" start to Liverpool life for Naby Keita that many of the YouTube videos predicted that it would be, but perhaps that isn't a surprise given Jurgen Klopp's track record of introducing new signings slowly .

He's been in and out of the team, and so having been picked from the start here he'll have been desperate to make an impression.

Perhaps that's why he looked a little nervy from the beginning here before his unfortunate injury.

Hopefully it's not too bad a blow, but with an international break on the horizon and given it was unlikely he'd start against Manchester City anyway, if anything it could serve as a valuable chance to watch and learn providing the injury isn't too bad, as Liverpool's midfield looked more controlled once he went off, although they were badly lacking creatively.

Keita's withdrawal meant that Jordan Henderson was needed from the bench, and as this had quickly become a night that Liverpool knew they were going to struggle to attack in, his battling qualities quickly became crucial.

The captain organised his team - or namely the defenders behind him and midfielders alongside him - and although things went ragged from time to time, he was at least there to lend a calming influence before the late blow.

He needs players around him who are going to link with the attack though, and that was Liverpool's biggest downfall tonight.

3. The rise and rise of Joe Gomez continues

As Liverpool came under more and more pressure in the first half it was key for them to stay composed at the back.

You might have thought that Virgil van Dijk was going to be the key man in that endeavour as he usually is, but - and not for the first time this season - it was his younger central defensive partner Joe Gomez who instead stood up tallest.

It is incredible to believe that the England defender won't be 22 until the end of the season, and in what is surely the most intimidating atmosphere he's played in since switching permanently to centre-back, he was fantastic.

4. Liverpool's increased control isn't good for Mo Salah

Liverpool are a much more controlled - and for that a better organised - team this season, and that means that they aren't making games as chaotic and open as in the last campaign.

That was when Mo Salah shone, and with both spaces and chances at an absolute premium for the Reds, he was again left looking like a forlorn figure.

He's going to have to find different ways to score goals if he wants to get anywhere near last season's 44-strike total.

5. This is one of the strongest groups in the Champions League (and Red Star)

Having already seen what Paris Saint-Germain did to Red Star Belgrade earlier in the night , it was a wonder that Napoli could fully focus on the game given the fact that they must have been lamenting their goalless draw in Belgrade last month.

They showed here that they are different proposition on their own ground, and underlined just why this Champions League group must be one of the best in the competition this season.

They thoroughly deserved their late winning goal, and have underlined that this group is one of the ones to watch this season.