Tottenham right-back Emerson Royal has revealed who the toughest opponent he has come up against in the Premier League is - and he plays for Liverpool.
The 23-year-old Brazilian international has enjoyed a solid season for Spurs helping take them to the brink of Champions League qualification for next season. But when asked which player has given him the most difficult test in English football he is in no doubt that Sadio Mane is currently on another level.
Emerson told the Premier League YouTube channel: “Mane. He’s so fast, so quick, strong and skilful. It’s not often you get a player like that with so much strength, speed and skill."
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Despite the challenge of facing Mane and a Red machine that is still gunning for a quadruple of major honours, Tottenham held Jurgen Klopp's side in both Premier League encounters this season, drawing 2-2 at White Hart Lane before forcing Liverpool to drop a crucial further two points with a 1-1 result at Anfield on May 7.
Mane has been in scintillating form since the turn of the year, scoring 16 goals for both club and country and also clinching the African Cup of Nations for Senegal with the winning penalty in a shoot-out against Mohamed Salah's Egypt.
Mane is the Premier League's joint-fifth highest goal scorer this season, on 15 alongside Diogo Jota and Kevin de Bruyne. The top favourite only has one more season remaining on his current Anfield contract and despite rumoured interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, supporters will be hopeful that one of Liverpool's most important players will sign a new deal this summer.
