Phil Thompson has heaped praise on Liverpool winger Sadio Mane, claiming that he has been “absolutely terrific” so far this season.
The £100,000-a-week ace [Spotrac] started on the bench in his side’s 2-1 win over Genk in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, but Thompson still saw fit to hail him.
He also suggested that the wide man will be relishing the chance to play Manchester City over the weekend.
Speaking on Sky Sports News (November 5th, 19.30), he said: “Mane’s been in absolutely terrific form, and he’ll be looking ahead to the weekend.”
OPINION
Thompson is hardly reinventing the wheel with these comments, but it’s good to hear Mane getting some love nonetheless. He may not have started against Genk, but it’s test mane to just how good he has been this season that Thompson still feels it appropriate to reference how good he has been. At times this season, he has carried this Liverpool side. That may sound strange given how dominant they have been, but in certain games he has been the spark that has made the difference. We saw it against Aston Villa on Saturday, but it’s been so much more than the odd goal here and there. So far this term he has averaged 2.4 shots on goal per game, as well as 2.1 key passes, and 1.6 successful dribbles, as per Whoscored. Throw in a match rating of 7.59, and it’s clear that he is absolutely vital for the Reds.
