Writing in his Team of the Week column, Garth Crooks has been full of praise for Sadio Mane after his performance against Manchester City at the weekend.
The Senegalese winger was absolutely electric in the FA Cup semi-final. He netted twice and he was an absolute nuisance for the City backline, constantly harrying defenders and pressing in dangerous areas.
While his work off the ball was excellent, it was his two goals that made the headlines, his first was via a moment of madness from Zack Steffan, while his second was sheer class.
Crooks believes that Liverpool fans would have taken Mane out of the team for Roberto Firmino for this game, but he was full of praise for the winger after this performance.
What’s been said?
Crooks had good things to say about Mane.
“The 3-0 half-time scoreline didn’t tell the whole story in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final – it could have been much worse. Mane, who it would appear seems to be the player most Liverpool fans would have sacrificed for the return of the in-form Roberto Firmino, was absolutely outstanding. Not only was he the only Liverpool forward prepared to put himself about and get physical with City’s defence, but he was once again clinical in front of goal,” Crooks wrote.
Man for the big moment
Crooks says that Liverpool fans would have dropped Mane for Firmino for this final, but Jurgen Klopp was never going to do that.
Sadio Mane, if nothing else, is the man for a big moment. He’s scored more Champions League knockout goals than any other player in the past five years, and he’s also netted in some key Premier League clashes.
A semi-final at Wembley is the perfect stage for Mane, and he once again made sure to make his mark on the big occasion.
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