RB Leipzig boss Nagelsmann previews United clash

Tuesday 27 October 2020 17:42

RB Leipzig will be missing at least three players who started last season’s UEFA Champions League semi-final, when they turn up to Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Two further first-teamers are a doubt for the Bundesliga leaders, who are travelling to Manchester confident of a victory, according to Julian Nagelsmann.

Right-back Lukas Klostermann and midfielder Konrad Laimer had already been ruled out of the Group H match-up with knee injuries, but the 33-year-old coach revealed that French defender Nordi Mukiele has stayed in Germany to work on his recovery.

Kevin Kampl, who also featured in the XI for that 3-0 last-four defeat to PSG in August, requires a further fitness test, as does fellow central midfielder, American international Tyler Adams.

“If nothing happens in the training session now, [Kampl] could start tomorrow,” said Nagelsmann.

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“Tyler, we’ll test him in training. He has a small injury in his knee, that’s why he wasn’t in the line-up against Hertha BSC.

“We have to see the training performance, then we will decide if he can be in the squad or not.

“Nordi Mukiele has a muscle injury, he’s not with us. He’s still in Leipzig and doing individual training today.”

Nagelsmann, who spoke of his memories of watching United as a youngster during his pre-match press conference, said our counterattacking abilities were a particular area his team had worked on combatting.

He hinted that Leipzig were prepared to face the Reds in a variety of different systems and that his side’s start to the season has given them the belief that three points on their first-ever visit to the Theatre of Dreams is a realistic target.

“We know they are good and tough to defeat, especially when you talk about the forwards and the offensive midfielders.

“They have a lot of qualities in the final third and we have to be aware of these situations.

“We have to close the space behind our defensive line and be very aggressive. If we are watchful in these situations, we are confident enough to talk about winning the game tomorrow.

“They played a different formation against PSG than they did in the league. We’ve prepared to play against both formations, to try to solve the situation. We will see their starting line-up tomorrow and I think we will be well prepared.

“As I mentioned, our start in the league, cup and Champions League has been good enough to talk about winning the game tomorrow.”

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