Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund both played the full match as Napoli were humbled at home by Lazio
Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay had a night to forget against Lazio(Image: Getty Images)
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Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund were booed off as Napoli's fading Serie A title hopes were all but ended by Lazio. A 2-0 home defeat left Antonio Conte's side 12 points behind leaders Inter Milan with just five games remaining.
Matteo Cancellieri and Toma Basic scored in each half, with former Manchester United midfielder McTominay and on-loan striker Hojlund struggling to make an impact. The flat team display was met with jeers from fans at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at full-time.
The result followed an underwhelming 1-1 draw at Parma and has left Napoli with just Champions League qualification left to play for. After the match, Conte took aim at McTominay and his midfield colleagues, saying: "This was not a good match from us, we put very little quality in midfield.
"Lazio waited for us and hit on the counter. We had 70 per cent possession and did not manage a single shot on target.
"We had studied the match but we were not good enough. When this team lacks energy, quality drops. Perhaps I was not good enough at sensing the malaise that developed after Parma."
Conte also responded to speculation about his future after club president Aurelio De Laurentiis hinted that the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss could be on his way out of the club this summer.
Rasmus Hojlund
Rasmus Hojlund struggled to make an impact against Lazio(Image: Getty Images)
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Conte told DAZN: "It's a problem of the president. He can say whatever he wants, absolutely, but I have nothing to answer him.
"If I had something to say to him, I would do it in private, not in public, because then the people and the media cannot see anything else. More is said in silence, and the better it is. It applies to everyone until the championship ends."
He added: "I understand that my name is used to write and make newspaper pages and broadcasts, but sometimes things are invented and exploited.
Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte faced questions about his future following the defeat to Lazio(Image: Getty Images)
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"Behind the scenes, you can do a thousand things. But in these situations, the more we are in silence and focused on the team, the better it is, also as a form of respect for those who have always supported us."
The potential departure of Conte would raise questions about the future of McTominay, who has been linked with a return to the Premier League, possibly even with United. As for Hojlund, Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna indicated earlier this year that the Dane is likely to stay at the club beyond the end of his loan spell.