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In a huge blow for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp confirmed that Sadio Mane would require surgery for a knee injury. The Senegalese forward has carried Liverpool this season. He was replaced against Everton after colliding with Leighton Baines. Klopp said in his press conference he was “pretty sure” Mane needed surgery, leaving it “pretty much impossible for him to play again this season”.
Mane’s Importance
The former Southampton man has 13 goals in 24 appearances for Liverpool this season. Mane also missed a host of games when he traveled to the African Cup Of Nations in January. This also coincided with Liverpool’s wretched start to the new year and their disappointing form against lower-placed teams. Liverpool have failed to win a Premier League game this season that Sadio Mane has not started in, illustrating the importance of the electric forward to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Klopp Disappointed but Confident
The Liverpool boss was quick to play down Liverpool’s worries, believing that they could cope without Mane. “I know everyone was talking before about how we miss Sadio Mane and we do miss Sadio Mane but he doesn’t help us too much in defending and we created enough chances to have scored more. Again, around the second goal, Sadio would not have been too much involved in defending so the influence of missing Sadio was not too big. ” said Klopp ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Stoke.
While Klopp seemed adamant that Liverpool could cope without Mane, his absence is certainly a big blow to them. The manager now needs to go back to the drawing board to set his team up to win games without their talisman.
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