The Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer has included Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane in his top flight Team of the Week.
The Senegal international scored and grabbed an assist as the Reds pulled off a phenomenal late show to defeat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park.
And that was enough for him to make Shearer’s XI, alongside stars like Chelsea duo Jorginho and Tammy Abraham, Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin and Manchester City right back Kyle Walker.
? @alanshearer's #PL Team of the Week ?
Thoughts on the XI? pic.twitter.com/ZaRQvH0Wcw
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 4, 2019
OPINION
There’s no doubt that Mane was Liverpool’s outstanding player on Saturday. Yes, he was booked in the first half for diving, but from that point on he was absolutely electric. He got a goal and an assist, and he could have had more, too. You could make a very strong argument that Roberto Firmino was onside when Mane whipped the cross in for the Liverpool goal that was disallowed by VAR. The Brazilian was deemed to be offside by his armpit… But the statistics tell us just how influential the former Southampton man was in the Reds’ ability to overcome a stubborn Villa side. As per WhoScored.com, he had six shots on Saturday, the most of any player on the pitch. He also produced three key passes and was fouled once, putting five crosses into the box on his way to a WhoScored rating of 7.82. Mane really was dominant at Villa Park, and he made the difference for a Liverpool side that was below its best.
