Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Garth Crooks has backed Sadio Mane to deliver the extraordinary performances that Luis Suarez did during his time with The Reds. Crooks, who currently works for BBC as a pundit, thinks that Mane is one of the best signings of the summer as he is proving to be a key player for Liverpool.
“What a purchase this lad is proving to be. His goals against Watford demonstrated natural striking instincts,” Crooks said. “Mane is what I regard as an all-around player but I wouldn’t put him in the same category as a fox in the box like Daniel Sturridge. Yet his goals against the Hornets bore hallmarks of precisely those predatory instincts”
“Mane seems to be getting better with every game and I wonder if he could become the player Luis Suarez was for Liverpool. He certainly has all the tools.”
Liverpool signed the 24-year-old from The Saints in a deal worth £34 million, making him the most expensive African player ever. The switch also meant that Mane is the fifth player to move to the red half of Merseyside from Southampton since the 2014 summer transfer window.
A few eyebrows were raised over the price tag, but the impressive start that the Senegalese forward has made to his Liverpool career has erased all doubts about his calibre. Mane scored a sublime goal against Arsenal on his Liverpool debut and has found the back of the net 6 times in 10 league outings for The Reds. He links up well with Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino forming the deadly front three of The Reds.
Liverpool’s 6-1 demolition of Watford at home saw the Reds move to the top of the Premier League table. Sadio Mane scored a brace whilst goals from Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Emre Can and Georginio Wijnaldum completed the rout.
The 18-time league champions have played some sumptuous football this season and the newly found consistency in Philippe Coutinho’s game has helped Liverpool’s cause. Coutinho’s performances have hit new heights this season and he was Liverpool’s player of the month for October. Garth Crooks thinks that it will be hard for Liverpool to hold onto him for long as he is already on the wishlist of the big clubs in Spain.
“October’s player of the month is playing so well at the moment it seems quite likely, he will receive November’s award as well,” Crooks said. “The only problem with all this attention is it is alerting the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid to the Brazilian’s talents. Liverpool are riding high at the moment largely because of Coutinho’s exploits, but should the Reds fail to win a trophy this season he may end up at a club that can.”
Liverpool next fixture after the international break is a trip to Saint Mary’s to face Southampton.
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