Sadio Mane is Liverpool’s main man: Jamie Redknapp
No player has scored more EPL goals this year than the Senegal star
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes Reds attacker Sadio Mane "would walk into any team".
The Senegal star followed up his brace in the European Super Cup with a stunning winner in the 2-1 triumph over his old club Southampton last Saturday to take his English Premier League goal tally in 2019 to 15.
Despite returning to training later than any of his Reds teammates, after leading his country to the African Nations Cup final a month ago, last season's EPL joint-Golden Boot winner is picking up where he left off.
Former England midfielder Redknapp wrote in his Daily Mail column: "Sadio Mane is making a great case to be considered Liverpool's main man, above Mohamed Salah.
"The 27-year-old is producing magic on the pitch and would walk into any team.
"He showed that against Southampton, scoring a screamer then setting up Roberto Firmino to confirm the 2-1 win.
"The statistics highlight his impact. No one has scored more Premier League goals than him in 2019. He took his tally to 15 on Saturday, and not a single one of those has come from the penalty spot.
"In Liverpool's last 30 games, Mane has scored 20 goals, Salah has put away 12 and Firmino eight...
"He is now performing as well as he has ever done under Juergen Klopp."
Last month, Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said Mane deserves to be in Ballon d'Or contention, while Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuettl called him "unbelievable" after the match at St Mary's.
However, former Tottenham Hotspur forward Garth Crooks has cautioned Klopp against overplaying Mane.
He told the BBC: "While there has been talk of Mane not getting sufficient time off to recuperate from the (African Nations Cup) tournament, he looked sharper and fitter than anyone else on the field against Southampton.
"Juergen Klopp needs to be very careful not to overplay Mane.
"If he does and loses the player through injury, he could live to regret it."
TOO MANY MATCHES
Mane has played 111 matches over the last two seasons, including at the World Cup Finals and African Nations Cup, leading to Klopp pointing to him as an example of elite players playing too many matches.
He told the Daily Mail last month: "Ask Sadio how much (of a) holiday he has had.
"He's played pretty much every game for Senegal. He's played each game for us.
"Every international break, he is away. Ask him."
Former Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock believes Klopp will take turns to rest his front three of Salah, Mane and Firmino during cup matches and when they face lowly teams in the EPL.
He told Sky Sports: "That's when your squad players, (Divock) Origi, (Xherdan) Shaqiri, (Rhian) Brewster, (Alex) Oxlade-Chamberlain, they are going to have to play.
"Klopp's got options, it's just when he picks them."
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