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NAPLES, ITALY - Wednesday, October 3, 2018: Napoli's head coach Carlo Ancelotti during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between S.S.C. Napoli and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Paolo. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Carlo Ancelotti hints at Napoli game plan that could play into Liverpool’s hands

Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti insists his side will play on the front foot against Liverpool as they bid to secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The Italians sit top of Group C, one point clear of second-place Paris St Germain and need just a point at Anfield to secure their progression.

It is a game Liverpool need to win to be sure of going through. Victory by more than one goal will guarantee the Reds’ progress, while a 1-0 win or a victory by two goals or more will be needed if PSG beat Red Star Belgrade in the other game in the group.

Ancelotti insists that Napoli, who are second in Serie A and thrashed Frosinone 4-0 on Saturday, have no intention of heading to Anfield to play for a draw.

“I have lots of memories of Anfield,” Ancelotti told the Napoli website. “And my last one is a good one because I won the title there with Chelsea.

“It’s going to be a tough, exciting match. We’ll go there and play our usual game. It would be counter productive to try and park the bus. Besides anything else, that’s not how we play.

“We’ll try to boss the game and I’m sure the lads are ready and fired up to give their absolute all.

“We’ll go there with an attacking mindset.”

NAPLES, ITALY - Wednesday, October 3, 2018: Liverpool and Napoli players shake hands before the UEFA Champions League Group C match between S.S.C. Napoli and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Paolo. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The 59-year-old Ancelotti, whose AC Milan side lost the 2005 Champions League final against Liverpool in Istanbul before beating the Reds in the final two years later, hopes Napoli will be fresh for the Anfield clash after making changes to his line-up.

“I rotated the squad not just to rest a few legs but also to give playing time to some of the other lads. I need everyone and this is the way forward,” Ancelotti added.

“The lads who came into the team performed well. They all did good things. This game was a potential banana skin and we cleared it well.”

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