Liverpool were death a huge blow as star player Sadio Mane, who was recently nominated in 30-player shortlist for this year’s FIFA Ballon d’Or, has suffered an injury, which could keep him out for up to six weeks. The Reds are already struggling in the league and the cup competitions this season. Standing at seventh in the league table, Jurgen Klopp’s men certainly need an upturn in fortunes but the absence of star player Sadio Mane could be a huge blow.
As the Senegalese International is sidelined for six weeks, we take a look at how much will his absence cost for the Merseyside giants. The first massive loss will come in the weekend fixture against Manchester United. As the club football gets back underway this weekend, Liverpool will host the high-flying league rivals Manchester United.
While the Red Devils are also set to miss Marouane Fellaini, Mane’s injury will definitely play a huge role in the outcome of this match. The Reds will probably lose this game, due to their lack of form, and also not to mention, the form that Manchester United are in at the moment.
Liverpool next travels to Maribor, in the midweek fixture of the Champions League. Following two back to back draws, it will be a must-win game for the Reds, if they are to stand any chance of qualifying through to the knockout stages. The Slovenian giants haven’t been that impressive this season, and the Premier League giants are more than expected to seal a victory.
We expect a lot of key players to be benched in the midweek game against Maribor, as the tough game against Tottenham follows on the weekend. This will be another big test for Liverpool’s strength in depth, but they are likely to fail against the sturdy and well-disciplined Tottenham side. Sadio Mane’s presence could have made a telling difference though.
The Reds will be given a week’s rest before they face Huddersfield Town in the Premier League, which will be followed by a midweek fixture against Maribor once again, this time at Anfield. Liverpool are expected to snatch all three points from both the matches.
However, games against West Ham United and Southampton will be tricky for Jurgen Klopp’s men. Mane is expected to get back in team training by the time they face West Ham but will miss out for at least a week after returning to training. On paper, Liverpool are more than expected to win against West Ham, but the Reds could likely gather four points from these two games.
The next few games will be against Sevilla, Stoke and Chelsea. If fortune favours the Reds, Sadio Mane will make his comeback in one of these games, but surely he’ll be available and fit to play against Chelsea.
