Liverpool may wish that they had a prime Sadio Mane in their team after his former Reds team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold hailed the Senegal star as the ‘perfect attacker’. Jurgen Klopp’s forwards have struggled for regular goals in recent weeks and drew a disappointing blank against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Related articles
The likes of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez all missed excellent opportunities to score as Liverpool succumbed to a first Premier League defeat at Anfield in 18 months. Midfielder Curtis Jones capped a woeful day in front of goal by chipping wide when one-on-one with goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Mane scored 120 goals for Liverpool at the height of the club’s success under Klopp. It was his and Salah’s combined 37 strikes that ended a 30-year wait for a Premier League title in 2019-20, and Roberto Firmino contributed a further nine. Liverpool have faltered while struggling to replace his output.
In a timely reminder of Mane’s ability when he was at the top of his game, Alexander-Arnold has named him as the one former team-mate he would hate to play against.
The right-back told The Overlap: “Sadio Mane is the one player that I played with that I’ve always thought, ‘I’m thankful that I didn’t have to play against him’.
Watch all the Premier League and Champions League drama unfold on TNT Sports
“He was the perfect attacker, he had everything. As an athlete, he was similar to Cristiano Ronaldo – he had the jump, was fast, could finish both feet, and was a threat at all times.”
Liverpool were perhaps right to sell Mane in the summer of 2022, with the forward demanding a new challenge. He lasted just a year at Bayern Munich and has scored only 10 goals in 26 appearances since joining Al-Nassr last summer.
He told the BBC at the time of his departure: "It was last year I took my decision to leave because I need a new challenge in my life.
"For me, it was the right time. I spoke with the coach (Klopp) one year ago and talked to him about my desire to leave. If you see my story, I came from a small town - my life was always a challenge, so I want to challenge myself all the time."
DON'T MISS...
Liverpool get update on long-term £70m target as Pedri responds to contract talk
Ex-Liverpool target Palhinha gives seal of approval over Amorim
Liverpool flop refuses to board team bus and storms off home
But Liverpool have struggled to replace Mane with a new version of Alexander-Arnold’s idea of the ‘perfect attacker’. Diaz brings the energy but is inconsistent in front of goal, while Salah’s overall contribution during games has waned slightly recently.
Cody Gakpo has split opinion and has not replicated the scoring form that made him so prolific with PSV.
While Klopp still could overcome the two-point deficit with league leaders Manchester City this season, Liverpool’s next manager might choose to prioritise finding their new Mane to ensure that the Reds are able to maintain a strong push for the Premier League title next term.
