Garth Crooks claims Crystal Palace must be ‘sick of the sight’ of Liverpool star Sadio Mane in his Team of the Week column for BBC Sport, after scoring against the Eagles yet again.
Mane netted the Reds’ opener in the 43rd-minute of a 3-0 win over the Selhurst Park outfit on Saturday. He has now found the back of the net in each of his last nine meetings with the south Londoners. Only failing to score in one of 10 top-flight encounters for the Reds.
The Senegalese forward kicked off his sublime run with the winner during a 1-0 meeting at Anfield in August 2017. Mane had already scored three and assisted twice against Crystal Palace before joining Liverpool from Southampton for £34m, too.
Mane impressed Crooks with his instinctive reactions to score Liverpool’s first at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Even though the former Tottenham Hotspur striker believes the 29-year-old has not been at his best so far this season.
“Crystal Palace must be sick of the sight of Sadio Mane,” Crooks wrote. “Not only did he score his 100th Liverpool goal on Saturday, but he’s now scored in nine consecutive appearances against the south Londoners.
“His latest strike was a trademark finish by the Senegalese hitman. The ball was parried by Vicente Guaita from a Mohamed Salah header, but Mane was on to the rebound like the rapier he is in such circumstances.
“Mane has not been at his best for Liverpool this season, but he continually perseveres in pursuit of goals. To score 100 goals for a club is quite an achievement. To do it for Liverpool is a little bit special.”
Has Mane been underperforming for Liverpool, like Crooks claims?
Mane has scored three in five Premier League games this term, despite Crooks suggesting he has been underperforming for Liverpool. He also kept the pressure on Max Aarons and created openings against Norwich on the opening day, albeit without reward.
The 75-cap Senegal star also matched up well against Reece James, before Anthony Taylor sent the Chelsea ace off. And the England international’s departure gave Mane even more freedom to run at the Blues backline to cause problems.
Mane has not been successful with everything he has tried, but he has been important for Liverpool, despite Crook’s pessimism. If he can polish off the edges to his finishing, which has been mixed, there would be little to question.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
