Speaking on the Match Of The Day Top 10 Podcast, Micah Richards has spoken about Sadio Mane, claiming that he’s gone above and beyond what he expected of him at Liverpool.
The BBC pundit was discussing the greatest strike partnerships in Premier League history, and inevitably, discussion turned towards Mane and Mohamed Salah.
Alan Shearer made a point about the pair not wanting each other to score goals, and Richards added his view on that matter before adding his opinion on Mane.
“I believe that about Salah, I’m not sure about Mane, though. I think Mane is a better story too – I didn’t expect him to become this good when he was at Southampton,” Richards said.
To be fair to Richards, we can see where he’s coming from.
Mane has gone from playing for Southampton to becoming one of the best attackers in world football, and while we’ve seen that before from the likes of Gareth Bale and Alan Shearer over the years, it was still a shock when Mane stepped up a gear.
The Senegalese star was certainly handy at Southampton, netting 21 league goals in two seasons for the Saints, but nobody could have expected him to one day finish fourth on the Ballon d’Or ballot.
The signing of Mane in 2016 certainly raised a few eyebrows, but it seems as though Jurgen Klopp was right to take a punt on the winger.
Mane’s improvement is certainly a testament to Liverpool’s style of play and Klopp’s coaching.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
