Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport that Sadio Mane is cutting a ‘frustrated figure’ at Liverpool.
Whilst a lot has been made of Roberto Firmino’s form this season, which has seen him drop out of the XI, the man to his left has seemingly fallen down the same cliff.
After perhaps one of his best seasons in a Liverpool shirt during their title-winning campaign, Mane, 29, has scored only 12 goals in all competitions this season, with two of those coming against Aston Villa’s kids in the FA Cup.
When Mane is challenged, Warnock usually sees his smiling figure come out, but the ex-Reds defender stated he is no longer seeing that.
On Mane could do with a rest: “Yes, I think when you look at Mane at his best. He’s strong and physical.
“When you try and play his physical side, try to kick him, I used to love how he used to smile at you.
“Now, as a defender, you would think ‘Oh God, I have frustrated him here’. But he used to have this great grin on his face where you would think ‘Oh, that’s not worked’.
“At the the moment, he looks a frustrated figure.”
Many have felt that Diogo Jota, and rightly so, has been more of a goal threat than Roberto Firmino this season and should start ahead of the Brazil international.
But Jota has also been more of a goal threat than Mane this season.
And if Firmino has previously been dropped because of his poor form, Mane is pretty lucky he hasn’t had the same treatment.
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