Atletico Madrid v Liverpool predictions: Super Sadio Mane can outshine Mo Salah

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Atletico Madrid v Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm, Tuesday

Best bet

S Mane first goalscorer
0.5pt each-way 13-2 bet365

Team news

Atletico Madrid
Stefan Savic is a major doubt but Marcos Llorente, Jose Gimenez and Matheus Cunha have returned to training.

Liverpool
Alisson and Fabinho should be available after flying to Spain from South America. Thiago Alcantara and Harvey Elliott are sidelined and Curtis Jones also misses out.

Match preview

Liverpool's attack has been prolific this season and even Atletico Madrid's infamous defensive wall may not be strong enough to stop the rampant Reds at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Jurgen Klopp's side have scored at least three times in each of their last seven road trips and while Atletico are set to put up much stiffer resistance than Watford's feeble efforts in a 5-0 defeat on Saturday, it may still turn out to be a good evening for the front three of Roberto Firmino flanked by Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

Bookmakers are correct to rate Liverpool as favourites to overcome the Spanish champions on away turf and there is mileage in taking Mane to outshine man-of-the-moment Salah in the first scorer market.

Salah has sizzled, scoring in his last eight matches and nine of ten appearances overall with the only blank coming in the 2-0 success over Burnley.

The individual brilliance of the goals against Manchester City and Watford have catapulted Salah into the Ballon d'Or reckoning, however, it has been Mane who has broke the deadlock in three of Liverpool's last five matches.

Mane's Premier League expected goals figure of 5.8 is comfortably the highest in England's top flight - nobody else is above 4.8 - and the Senegal star is almost keeping pace with Salah's shot tally, which stands just in favour of the Egyptian 32-31.

Salah is on penalties too but at 4-1 he can be passed over in favour of Mane at 13-2 as Liverpool look like one of the few European teams with the ability to open up the home rearguard.

Atletico have kept four clean sheets in five home games this term and Diego Simeone looks set to deploy three centre-backs with the intention of leaving the game at no worse than 0-0.

Atletico conceded only 25 goals on their way to being crowned La Liga champions last season. That defensive solidity was the key reason for their title success - they scored 18 goals fewer than third-placed Barcelona.

The issues for Barcelona, who have been beaten easily twice in the Champions League this season, and Real Madrid, who were overcome at home by Sheriff, suggest Spanish domestic form is perhaps not as strong as it once was.

Atletico have suffered in this season's competition, fortunately drawing 0-0 with Porto and needing plenty of luck to overcome ten-man Milan 2-1 at San Siro.

Former Red Luis Suarez took advantage of a frankly laughable penalty decision in injury time to win, one of four times already this season Atletico have notched in the 90th minute for a match-changing result.

Resolve is something Simeone's side possess in spades and they have reached at least the quarter-finals in five of the last eight years of the Champions League.

Their playing style isn't the prettiest but Simeone earns his considerable corn - the Argentinian is easily the highest-paid manager in world football - with an approach that makes life difficult for opposition teams.

The connection Simeone has with the supporters means this will be an intimidating encounter and Atletico have lost only one of their last 30 home European matches, but that loss came against Chelsea and another Premier League outfit can also conquer Madrid.

Key stat

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 20 matches

Inside info

Atletico Madrid

Penalty taker Luis Suarez
Free-kick wizard Kieran Trippier
Set-piece aerial threat Jose Gimenez
Card magnet Geoffrey Kondogbia

Liverpool

Penalty taker Mohamed Salah
Free-kick wizardTrent Alexander-Arnold
Set-piece aerial threatVirgil van Dijk
Card magnetFabinho

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