Champions League: Three points are in order for Jurgen Klopp and his Reds
It’s the last of Matchday 2 in the Champions League and Liverpool play host to Austrian company, Red Bull Salzburg, and the roles are reversed.
The team on their travels are the leaders of Group E. The team sitting below a qualifying spot is the team who are reigning champions. This already tells us it’s a must-win for Liverpool as they come up against Salzburg with no points on the board.
Recap of Matchday 1
Liverpool, the defending champions got off to a terrible start. The result was not a true reflection of the game over in Naples, however, the score was 2-0 and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.
The Reds dominated, for the most part, topping the stats in passes, shots at goal, and even possession. But with all these attributes counting in their favour, they still were unable to convert their clearcut opportunities. Therefore, the Italians punished the Reds after opening the backdoor too many times for them to come in on goal.
Their challengers – Red Bull Salzburg
They got off to a flying start in their opener. They handed Genk (last place in Group E) a rude awakening, that this was going to be a tough group to get anything from as they could very well be the worst team of Group E.
The Austrians wiped the floor with their Belgian opponents 6-2. Five goals scored in the first 45 minutes pretty much set the tone for the second half, where the home side added their sixth and final goal of the game.
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Sets up for an enticing meeting at Anfield
This has undoubtedly set us up for one mouthwatering and tasty treat coming up at Anfield. Other than it being a match for Klopp and the Reds to bounce back or an opportunity for the visitors to add more pressure to the previous Champions League winners, it is also a reunion for winger Sadio Mane.
The world-class forward spent his first European spell at Salzburg. He is relishing the chance to go up against his old club and knows it will not be a walk in the park for them.
"I learned many life lessons in Salzburg. first club in “excited” for tonight’s reunion, in particular facing old teammates Ramalho and Ulmer. “They will make things difficult for me.” (via: uefa.com)"
A Difficult Anfield
Anfield is no place to visit on any stage. In the Premier League, Champions League, any competition, the Reds are near impossible to take points from at Anfield. They have already gone 22 games without a loss at the Merseyside grounds in the UCL, and are not looking anywhere near to altering that record.
Standing in favour of the Anfield side is their almost perfect record when hosting Austrian company. They’ve played six, won four, drew one, and lost one. Klopp’s men have also gone five games without conceding a single goal in this competition.
Next. EPL clubs Power Ranking in UCL Matchday 1. dark
This proves it will be even harder for Red Bull to come to Liverpool and spread their wings as they did on the first day of European affairs. The boost just keeps adding up for Liverpool, who also welcomes the return of Naby Keita and still chip on with their full squad, barring long-term absentee, Alisson Becker.