Top England star says player Liverpool sold for £35 million is hardest he has ever come up against

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Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker has named the opponent that he has played against who has given him ‘nightmares’.

Since joining Manchester City in 2017, Kyle Walker has had a superb career in the Premier League and recently won his sixth league title under the genius that is Pep Guardiola.

The English right-back has had a brilliant career but has certainly been through some chastening experiences during his successful time in the North of England.

During his time at City, the toughest games for Walker were against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who consistently battled with City for the Premier League title but the Citizens would, more often than not, come out on top.

Walker names toughest player

Perhaps there is no surprise that the English defender has named former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane as one of the toughest opponents he has ever had to play.

“Sadio Mane was a nightmare for me,” said Walker on The Icebreaker podcast. “He was more raw, he had certain movements he would do.

“I think he was playing in a very good Liverpool side, with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, who was dropping deep. He was good, even at Southampton. But that’s why you go and move to Liverpool.”

As well as Mane, Walker named Eden Hazard and former Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar as some of the toughest players he has ever had to face in his illustrious trophy-laden career.

Mane’s struggles

Since leaving Liverpool, Mane has had a tough time of things. After a move to Bayern Munich, to play under Thomas Tuchel, did not work out, the Senegalese winger moved to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Nassr.

During his heyday at Anfield, the winger formed an electric trio with Roberto Firmino and Egyptian Mohamed Salah. When Liverpool won the league title in 2020, Mane netted 18 times in the league and provided a further seven assists.

He has scored 13 goals in the Saudi Pro League this season but the 32-year-old has not, as of yet, hit the heights that he did under Klopp during that dominant title winning season four years ago.