Liverpool prepare for a crunch Champions League encounter with Red Bull Salzburg this evening, and a point is required to ensure their place in the knockout stages.
One player who will be crucial to the Reds’ progression on the road to retaining their title is Sadio Mane. The former Salzburg player represented the Austrian side for two years, and he will likely enjoy his return the Red Bull Arena, having scored 42 goals in 81 games for the club.
This season Mane, valued at £135m (Transfermarkt), has been the Reds’ star man and the forward Jurgen Klopp has relied upon most. For the Merseyside derby against Everton, both Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah were rested for the weekend’s trip to Bournemouth, but the Senegalese forward was entrusted with leading the attack, and he did so emphatically.
After missing the trip to the South Coast on Saturday, Liverpool’s top scorer in all competitions this season will almost certainly start this evening, rested and refreshed to do battle with Salzburg’s next prodigy and Champions League second-highest scorer, Erling Haaland. Furthermore, only the Reds’ full-backs have provided more assists than Mane this term, so his manger will be relying upon him in their bid to reach a third successive Champions League final.
With Salzburg in such fine scoring form – only Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur have scored more goals after five group stage games – Klopp may revert to the more gung-ho style of play we first saw upon his introduction the Premier League. If that is the case, Mane’s attacking threat on the break will be vital in ensuring Liverpool both create and bury their chances to make sure they do not have to rely upon results elsewhere to progress.
The six-time Champions League winners will be expected to go through, but with their fate on the line, this season’s surprise package Red Bull Salzburg will put up a stern fight. Upon his return to the venue that ignited his career, where his stellar performances earned him a move to Southampton, Mane will be the most dangerous threat to the fans who used to chant his name. He will be relied on to ensure Liverpool do not succumb to an embarrassing upset.
