Dejan Lovren Helps Liverpool Secure 1-1 Champions League Draw with Napoli

Napoli handed Liverpool their only loss of the season in all competitions when these teams first met in UEFA Champions League action in September. On Wednesday at Anfield, the two clubs settled for a draw.

Dries Mertens scored the lone goal for Napoli, while Dejan Lovren tallied for Liverpool. 

After five matchdays, Liverpool remained atop Group E on 10 points, while Napoli sits right behind them in second place with nine points. Neither club's place in the knockout round is secure, with Salzburg looming at seven points ahead of its final group-stage matchup against Liverpool on Dec. 10.  

Things got off to a rough start for Liverpool, who lost Fabinho to an injury in the 19th minute:

Things got worse just two minutes later, when Giovanni Di Lorenzo played a brilliant ball over the top of Liverpool's defense to Mertens, who ran free on goal and buried his chance from a tough angle. 

It was a controversial goal, though it ultimately stood the test of VAR:

But as they often do, Liverpool found an equalizer. This time, it came from an unlikely source.

It was Lovren who pulled the Reds even on a 65th-minute corner off the foot of James Milner. The central defender skied above the Napoli defense and hit an excellent header from some distance into the goal. Napoli protested that there was a push-off in the buildup and the goal should be disallowed. VAR was once again called into action, but the goal was upheld. 

From there, both sides offered the occasional threat, but neither could find the winner. 

For the home side, it will surely be a disappointing result and one that some supporters will perhaps pin on the disappointing showing from right-back Joe Gomez, who looked out of sorts and was substituted off in the 57th minute in favor of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, the usual No. 1 right-back, eventually came on in the 78th minute, though it was too little, too late for the Reds.

The main source of frustration for Liverpool will be the fact that they could have clinched first place in Group E with a win. Instead, they are still in danger of missing the knockout phase entirely if they lose at Salzburg on December 10. It's potentially the difference between resting key players and needing them to secure advancement. 

For Napoli, coming away with four points against the defending European champions is about as good as they could have ever imagined. They need to secure a result at home to Genk in order to secure their own advancement, but in a season otherwise marked by disappointment, Napoli's performances against Liverpool have been a major bright spot.

What's Next?

Liverpool hosts Brighton & Hove Albion at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday in Premier League play, while Napoli is home to Bologna on Sunday at noon ET in Serie A action.