Nightmare scenario for Liverpool.
Sadio Mane has been ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring injury, Liverpool have confirmed.
The winger suffered the injury on international duty last Saturday, when he was substituted after 89 minutes of Senegal’s 2-0 win over Cape Verde. The news is a massive blow to Liverpool, as Mane will miss several key games for the club over the next six weeks, starting with the visit of Manchester United on Saturday.
The 25-year-old will also be unavailable for Champions League games against Maribor and Sevilla, the trip to London to play Tottenham Hotspur and could miss the game against Chelsea on November 25.
https://twitter.com/AnfieldHQ/status/917768358501724165
Mane started the season in brilliant form, scoring three goals in four games and was named Premier League player of the month for August. The former Southampton winger was then sent off against Manchester City at the start of September for a challenge on goalkeeper Ederson, and was suspended for three league games.
His most recent appearance for Liverpool was in the 1-1 draw against Newcastle before the international break.
Liverpool fans were understandably very disappointed upon hearing about Mane’s injury. The winger has been brilliant for Jurgen Klopp’s team since signing from Southampton last summer, and Liverpool’s form dipped when he left for the African Nations Cup last January.
When news of his injury broke on Tuesday, thoughts turned to who could potentially replace Mane in the starting XI, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s name was mentioned by several people on social media.
The former Arsenal winger joined Liverpool for £40m towards the end of the transfer window, more than what the club paid for Mo Salah and Mane, but he hasn’t had a great start to life at Anfield.
The transfer never made sense, writes @RobRedmond10 https://t.co/vRjPvzJZzO
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) September 21, 2017
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s playing-time has been limited, and he has failed to impress when he has featured. The 24-year-old joined the club because he wants to play in central midfield, but some Liverpool fans reckon he could now get a chance to play as a wide-forward, in Mane’s position.
None seem fully convinced that Oxlade-Chamberlain can adequately replace Mane, but they reckon he’ll never have a better opportunity to prove his worth.
Mane huge blow for #LFC obviously but this is why you spend £35m on Oxlade-Chamberlain, surely? If he can't get a run now, when does he?
— Kristian Walsh (@Kristian_Walsh) October 10, 2017
Time for Chamberlain to get his chance with Mané out for a while. Just don’t want to see Firmino wasted out wide.
— CW (@_craiglfc) October 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/alexhill40/status/917769032304128000
Chamberlain's reaction to the Mane injury news.
His time to shine 👀 #LFC pic.twitter.com/Gap02KzN1J
— Jonathan Higgins (@Jhiggins3) October 10, 2017
Mane out of six weeks rip. Step up Oxlade Chamberlain
— AB1 (@Lehiall) October 10, 2017
I wish we would wake up on Saturday morning to see Mane fit & in the squad, well now let's see what Chamberlain has to offer time to step up
— Mr D LFC #19x (@Engrtupaye5) October 10, 2017
If chamberlain doesn't replace Mane I don't see the reasoning why we signed him
— Adam Darnell (@adz92darnell) October 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/fishpainting/status/917771196367765505
https://twitter.com/SibsMUFC/status/917784091516440582
https://twitter.com/akadibhai9/status/917782140632301568
https://twitter.com/Frankly2Shankly/status/917782943967346689
https://twitter.com/adsalk/status/917781987489927168
