Napoli Nudge Liverpool with Late Winner

It's not news that football is one giant ATM machine for the game's main dudes.

And no one's gonna feel sorry for the wear and tear on players who navigate the packed schedule of games that fans seem to demand.

But sometimes, the fatigue is there for all to see.

That's what it looked like for Liverpool at Napoli's San Paolo Stadium when a 90th-minute tap-in created a 1-0 victory for the totally chuffed homeys.

 

Neither, frankly, did Napoli. But that's what happens when a side keeps hard at it.

Jürgen Klopp wasn't sure what he was seeing, either. For the first time this season, the Reds looked outta sorts.

Especially so for Naby Keïta. Their were initial concerns that the Guinean had suffered something internal when he went down during a 15th-minute challenge, but it was later revealed dude incurred a back trauma. Not great news, but it beat the alternatives.

This development gave Jordan Henderson a chance for a run, but he didn't add anything to the proceedings, either, and Klopp continued to be dumbfounded.

 

It's almost as if the Blues were waiting for the 'Pool to punch itself out, so to speak. They began pressing their possessions to the point that the Reds couldn't even get out of their own half.

Then, in the 90th minute, the winner appeared.

José Callejón’s low cross found Insigne straight up against Alisson, and all he had to do was apply a touch:

 

This result gives a rather surprising look to the Champions League Group C:

Needless to say, Paris St-Germain had to be intruiged.

As is proved on a weekly basis, chalk is erasable. Even the big clubs have got to keep their guards up.

And somehow, their players fresh.