Tonight marks a tough test for Liverpool as they welcome an exuberant Red Bull Salzburg side. The visitors have been in red hot form throughout the season; Jesse Marsch’s side won their opening Champions League group match against Genk 6-2, they have picked up 8 wins and 1 draw from their opening 9 games in their domestic division. The Austrian side are top of their Premier League with 40 goals scored and only 9 goals conceded. Despite their emphatic start to the season, they are well aware of the size of the test ahead of them, defender Rasmus Kristensen has highlighted the threat that Sadio Mane poses.
Speaking during the Red Bull Salzburg press conference, broadcast on their official site, the Danish defender described Mane as “a complete football player”. The Danish right back is likely to be the one tasked with dealing with Liverpool’s Senegalese left winger and he is well aware of the task ahead of him. Mane has been frightening defences both domestically and continentally with his lightning pace, tricky feet and devastating finishing. Kristensen described the match as the “biggest game of [his] career”.
The 22 year old defender joined the Austrian outfit from Ajax this season and will be facing a baptism of fire in his first big European fixture for the club. Anfield will be a cauldron tonight and will be looking to intimidate the visitors from the off, when facing Sadio Mane a defender has to be at the height of his concentration throughout the game – if he lets the atmosphere get to him then the ‘complete footballer’ he fears could take advantage.
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