• Europa League

Liverpool frustrate Napoli as Adebayor hits hat-trick

Marek Hamsik went close for Napoli © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: No regrets over City move - Adebayor
  
• News: I won't quit Liverpool - Hodgson
  
• News: Rijkaard's agent plays down Liverpool speculation
  

Gallery

Round-up of all the night's Europa League action

Liverpool bounced back from their weekend humiliation at Everton by grabbing a commendable 0-0 draw at Napoli in the Europa League.

The hard-earned point, achieved without talismanic figures Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, lifts some of the pressure from manager Roy Hodgson's shoulders - although Liverpool have now gone seven games without a win.

The Europa League has offered the Reds some respite from their league woes this season, and they are well poised to progress beyond the opening stage, having picked up five points from their first three games.

It wasn't a stellar performance from Liverpool - yet again, they struggled to create chances - but their determination could never be doubted as they stubbornly resisted opponents who sit fourth in Serie A.

With one eye on Sunday's crucial Premier League clash against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield, Hodgson opted to leave Gerrard and Torres at home. The consequence was a much-changed line-up, with young Englishmen Jonjo Shelvey and Jay Spearing handed rare starts in midfield.

Although the starting XI had an unfamiliar look to it, Liverpool had an assured look about them in the first half - but, while their retention of the ball did much to silence the voluble home crowd, they never looked like breaking the deadlock.

Instead, it was Napoli who had the best chance of a forgettable opening 45 minutes - Paul Konchesky hacking the ball of the line after Marek Hamsik's shot had beaten Pepe Reina.

That near-miss appeared to spark Napoli into life, and they twice went close through Edinson Cavani - first with a low shot, then with a thunderous header - in the early stages of the second period, taking advantage of a Liverpool defence now shorn of Jamie Carragher, who left the fray at half-time in order to protect him for the weekend.

Ryan Babel is unlikely to join Carragher in the side to face Blackburn after he spurned a glorious opportunity with 20 minutes remaining. The Dutchman was clean through on goal after being slipped in by Milan Jovanovic, but he snatched at the finish and his tame shot was easily stopped by the leg of 'keeper Morgan de Sanctis.

After 75 minutes of tentative forays forward, both teams began to scent victory in the final quarter of an hour. Liverpool came closest to winning it when David N'Gog worked himself the space to shoot inside the area with some deft footwork, but he sent his shot straight at a defender.

A brilliant hat-trick for Emmanuel Adebayor © PA Photos

Enlarge

Elsewhere, Emmanuel Adebayor has surely played his way into the Manchester City team to face Arsenal at the weekend after scoring a hat-trick in his side's 3-1 win over Lech Poznan.

The Togolese striker, who courted controversy by celebrating a goal in front of the Arsenal fans in September 2009, scored an early brace to put City in a commanding position.

The first - his maiden goal this season - was a curler from 18 yards after picking up Patrick Vieira's pass and turning, while the second was a well-directed header from David Silva's cross.

Joel Tshibamba pulled a goal back just after the break - following some frankly shocking defending from Pablo Zabaleta - before Adebayor completed his hat-trick after again linking up with Silva, who tormented the Poles throughout.

It was the sort of routine, morale-boosting victory that City will have craved ahead of the match with Arsenal on Sunday, which promises to offer a revealing insight into Roberto Mancini's side's title-winning credentials.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.