For no small fee, Liverpool acquired the services of Sadio Mane this summer. The speedy winger set the Reds back £34 million. After a month at his new club, the 24-year-old from Senegal is starting to look like a bargain.
First impressions are important and Mane made a great one this year with Liverpool. The season opener gave the winger a chance to show how good a fit he’ll be at Anfield. Against Arsenal, Mane put in a man of the match performance. He scored a terrific goal, but he did way more than that. He frequently tracked back to help the defense and made four tackles that day. His work rate and ability to pressure his opponents make him a perfect fit for Jürgen Klopp.
[link_box id=”23195″ site_id=”158″ layout=”link-box-third” alignment=”alignright”]During the summer, Liverpool knew they need to upgrade their attack. Jordan Ibe left for Bournemouth and Christian Benteke went to Crystal Palace. There was some talk of Mario Götze reuniting with Klopp, but instead, Liverpool went back to Southampton like so many times before and acquired Mane.
Essentially a replacement for Ibe, Mane was an upgrade for Liverpool. He’s more of a finished product than Ibe was, but still only 24. Ibe scored one goal for Liverpool in 41 appearances, while Mane scored 21 in 67 appearances for Southampton. This is the main reason Liverpool’s new winger is such a good signing. He is a goal scoring winger that plays for a manager who loves goal scoring wingers.
Looking at another fast, goal-scoring winger managed by Klopp, Liverpool supporters get a glimpse of what kind of talent Mane is. Marco Reus’ first two years with Dortmund were very successful. He scored 44 goals in all competitions and took Dortmund to the Champions League final. Klopp will want to mold Mane into the type of player Reus is a fast hard-charging winger that can bother opponents back lines when he has the ball as well as when they do. So far so good for the new signing.
Wonderful movement = stunning goal for @LFC! #PLonNBC https://t.co/BFb0i7h3JK
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) September 10, 2016
Mane’s Anfield debut was even better than his debut against Arsenal. The Reds hosted defending champions Leicester City and made short work of them. Mane was everywhere. He picked up his second goal of the season, linking up with Daniel Sturridge. The new signing also assisted on Roberto Firmino’s goal just before full-time. More than that he was instrumental in most of Liverpool’s attacks. His 73 touches over the course of the game were among the most on his team. Much of Liverpool’s attacks were coming down the right-hand side and in turn, through Mane.
As the season progresses, Klopp’s hope will be that Mane continues to gel with teammates like Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho, and Firmino. Early returns look good as those four collectively have the pace to trouble opponent defenses all season. Speed is key in Klopp’s team and Liverpool looks like they are well suited for that. Mane’s scoring touch also adds another dimension to that attack. If he stay’s healthy, Liverpool shouldn’t have any trouble filling the net.
Additionally, Mane’s willingness to come back on defense to help can’t be overlooked. Liverpool’s defensive problems are no secret, and to have a winger willing and able to get up and down the pitch will help a little. It will help at least until Liverpool’s back line has solidified ever so slightly. At that point, a winger tracking back becomes a luxury, rather than a necessity.
The big price tag attached to Mane hasn’t weighed heavily on the 24-year-old yet, and he’s been Liverpool’s best player this year. He recently won Liverpool’s player of the month award. Considering what some of the Merseyside club’s biggest competitors were spending on some of their new signings, at £34 million, Sadio Mane could become the steal of the season.
