There were two more goals for Sadio Mane on Sunday as he continues to justify his monstrous price tag on a weekly basis.
Jamie Redknapp has written in his column for the Daily Mail that Sadio Mane gives Liverpool a ‘completely different dimension’ going forward.
Many an eyebrow was raised when Jurgen Klopp’s side splurged an initial £34 million on the former Southampton forward in the summer, according to the BBC, with Mane only demonstrating his star quality in erratic bursts on the South Coast.
However, the Senegalese international already appears a more consistent, complete player after just a few months on Merseyside, kick-started by a wonderful individual goal on his debut against Arsenal and culminating in two well-taken finishes in Liverpool’s 6-1 hammering of Watford on Sunday.
The 24-year-old glanced home a brilliant header to belatedly open the scoring and thrust open the floodgates before cruising into the box with perfect timing to slot home his second from close range following a clever Roberto Firmino pass.
Phillipe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Firmino were all in inspired form once again as the Reds left the Hornets stung, but Redknapp believes it is the addition of Mane that has transformed Liverpool from entertaining also-rans into genuine title contenders.
“Sadio Mane has taken Liverpool to the next level,” the former Liverpool midfielder wrote in the Daily Mail. “He gives them a completely different dimension running with pace off the ball.”
“What impresses me most is that he is not a one-trick pony. He hit one of the goals of the season against Arsenal but against Watford scored with a header before tapping in a second.
“He scores scruffy goals as well as beauties. Liverpool put on a scintillating attacking display this weekend.
“It goes to show how much quality players benefit from not having to play in Europe in midweek.”
Mane also started the previous campaign in rampant fashion, terrorising Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in one of the finest individual performances of 2016/17.
However, after netting in a 1-1 draw at Anfield in October last year, he then went 19 Premier League games without a goal before breaking the barren run, ironically, with two in a dramatic comeback win against his current employers in March.
It goes without saying that, if Liverpool have true aspirations of the title this season, they cannot afford a repeat of such profligacy from one of their key attackers.DO:
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