Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita has responded to being asked if Reds forward Sadio Mane is manager Jurgen Klopp’s favourite player at the club.
The Senegal international has been a big hit at the club since joining from Southampton, but Keita is still looking to make a similar impact to his fellow African.
“He likes to laugh and joke around, he has a very light relationship with all the players,” he told Sky Sports about the Liverpool boss.”
When asked if Mane specifically was Klopp’s favourite, the Guinean replied: “If I can get to the level of Mo [Salah] and Sadio maybe I will be his favourite one day.”
OPINION
Klopp obviously won’t have favourites, although like anyone else he will have people he finds it easier to communicate with and things like that. Mane is a bright, bubbly character, just like the German, and so it’s no surprise that they get on very well. Keita is looking to get to that sort of relationship with the boss, but he admits that they will probably have a stronger bond if he can play as well as Mane and Salah do on a consistent basis. What he’s saying there is that there is no hierarchy at Anfield other than the one established by how well people play. Watching Klopp over the years we have always got an indication that he is a very jovial chap who doesn’t take things too seriously, and Keita has confirmed that here. The manager likes to joke around with his players, that much is clear, and it sounds as if Keita is really enjoying working with him – just don’t say Mane is his favourite.
