Liverpool will get a much-needed break from domestic competition tonight as they face RB Leipzig in the illustrious knockout stages of the Champions League.
The Reds were drawn against the German outfit in mid-December, at which point they were sat at the top of the Premier League, but the situation has changed since with the upcoming bout appearing tricky to navigate from afar.
So what can Jurgen Klopp expect from Julian Nagelsmann's team?
Leipzig are currently positioned second in the Bundesliga table four points behind the ever-present Bayern Munich, who have a game in hand over the chasing pack.
Naglesmann's side have won 13 of their 21 contests, and the underlying numbers of their campaign hint towards a different type of opposition than many would expect.
Rather than attacking relentlessly in the mould of a typical Red Bull club, Leipzig instead seem to gain most of their strength from a solid defensive base.
This season, they have conceded only 18 goals in total which is eight fewer than Bayern, and they tend to face an average of just 7.9 shots on goal per match, which is notably low.
For perspective, Leipzig's 7.9 is far better than second-best Bayer Leverkusen who post 10 attempts faced per match, and it places them third once compared to the 98 teams from across Europe's top five leagues this season.
Only Manchester City and Real Sociedad restrict their opponents to fewer shots, with Liverpool interestingly ranked fourth on the list with eight shots faced per match.
The two both seem highly capable at nullifying their opponents through pressing, with Liverpool ranking top of England for pressures in the attacking third per match compared to Leipzig who place second behind Bayern in Germany.
In attack, both teams seem somewhat quieter when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net.
They both generate over 15 attempts on goal per game, which is an accolade shared by only 10 teams in Europe's top five leagues at present, but Leipzig actually placed ninth in their division for goals minus penalties per match behind the likes of Freiburg and Union Berlin.
Essentially, the upcoming bout is very much a case of two highly comparable teams across the board. Liverpool and Leipzig exhibit solid performances on a consistent basis, with the former struggling to convert those performances into results since the turn of the year.
Ahead of 180 minutes of competition, it remains to be seen who will progress, but it could be decided by which team executes the Liverpool/Leipzig brand of football to a higher level.
