Southampton: Sadio Mane faces late assessment for Saints clash
By Chris Hughes
Liverpool winger Sadio Mane remains doubtful for this weekend’s game against former side Southampton, with his hamstring injury persisting.
The Senegalese attacker has been arguably Liverpool’s best player this season, winning August’s Player of the Month award and notching three goals in five league games.
However, Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp has now come out and said that Mane will need to be assessed as soon as he returns from international duty, in order to find out the extent of his niggling hamstring problem.
Just last week the Reds were handed a boost as another former-Saint Adam Lallana was declared fit to make his first appearance of the season. However, the absence of Mane would hurt Liverpool much more, with a plethora or midfield options available during Lallana’s time on the sidelines.
"“In this moment all I can really say with certainty is that we will assess Sadio as soon as he lands back in the country and make decisions on what rehab and treatment gives him the best chance of being back fit and strong for the important fixtures we have coming.” – Klopp"
Mane was instrumental under Ronald Koeman during the duo’s two-year spell on the south coast, with the 25-year-old hitting double figures in both of his seasons with the club. Nathan Redmond was apparently Mane’s replacement following the latter’s £34 million move to Anfield, but Saints fans will all be in agreement that his attacking intelligence and direct runs are still very much missed.
Liverpool will be gutted if Mane’s assessment delivers bad news, having already missed five Premier League games through a hamstring injury sustained at the start of last month.
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The Senegalese international was sent home from international duty early at the request of Klopp after the African nation confirmed their place in the World Cup on Friday. This was in order to to check his potential injury out as soon as possible.
If the winger is sidelined for another indefinite period of time, he could not only miss the game against Southampton, but also Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Sevilla and next weekend’s game against Chelsea.