Liverpool face new Real Madrid problem as Kylian Mbappe highlights concern

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Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCLiverpool face the biggest test of their season when they entertain Real Madrid in the Champions League on TuesdayThere were arguably two abiding memories from the last time Liverpool and Real Madrid cross swords 12 months ago. And Kylian Mbappe found himself on the receiving end of both.The first saw him wiped out by a strong sliding challenge from Conor Bradley that prompted raucous cheers from the Anfield crowd and a subsequent raft of memes and T-shirts celebrating the tackle.Then in the second half, after Andy Robertson had conceded a soft penalty, Mbappe saw his spot kick saved by stand-in Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher as the Reds strolled to an impressive 2-0 triumph - their first victory over the European Super League advocates in more than 15 years.READ MORE: Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks out on Liverpool reunion and 'agent Jude' and makes goal celebration vowREAD MORE: Alexis Mac Allister fumes at Amadou Onana as Liverpool unhappy with Stuart AttwellHaving previously been on the losing side on Merseyside despite scoring in Paris Saint-Germain's 3-2 Champions League defeat in 2018, Mbappe would be forgiven for approaching his latest visit with trepidation.Liverpool, though, will be aware they will be facing a very different forward to the one that floundered in the heat of the Anfield atmosphere last November.A blank that evening left Mbappe having scored nine goals in his first 18 appearances for Real Madrid.

Mbappe went on to notch 35 more goals in 41 appearances for Real last season, and this term has 18 in just 14 appearances. For club and country, the France international has failed to score in only four of his last 28 appearances.While the spotlight will understandably be on the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold and, to a lesser extent, his close friend Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jnr - who has courted controversy of late in Madrid but scored the Champions League final winner against Liverpool three years ago - it is Mbappe who will be man of which the Reds should be most wary.“Time will tell how many goals he scores," said Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso after Mbappe netted twice more in the weekend 4-0 La Liga win over Valencia."He has that knack for finding the net and being in the right place.

I don't know how many, but I have a feeling he's going to score a lot this season.”By contrast, in their last 28 games Liverpool have kept only five clean sheets, although they ended a run of 10 without a shut-out in Saturday evening's 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa.And there's every chance the defence that lined up against Real Madrid a year ago will again be asked to shut out the Spanish side, given the same quartet started against Villa.Should Bradley feature in the XI, it would remarkably be the first time since that Madrid game he will have started two club games inside four days, highlighting both his injury problems and the concerns that remain over his durability.Indeed, it was with minutes remaining in that clash that the Northern Irishman picked up a hamstring injury that kept him out until the New Year. And while Kelleher has now departed, his replacement Giorgi Mamardashvili regularly clashed with Real Madrid during his time with Valencia - most recently in April when he saved a Vinicius Jnr penalty in a 2-1 win at the Bernabeu.Liverpool had a point to prove at Anfield last November.