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Sadio Mane was Liverpool’s hero when Jurgen Klopp’s team beat Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The Senegalese star had a fairly quiet 45-minute opening. That was until his breakneck pace saw him hold onto a pass from Jordan Henderson, prompting Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen to knock him down. After a VAR review, Christensen received a red card.
It was a decisive moment in the match.
In nine minutes into the second half, Mane had scored twice.
The first was a tremendous header from Roberto Firmino after a beautiful team play.
His second was due to hard work.
Mane had given the ball away and was clearly mad at himself. He chased after Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who gifted him the ball into an empty net.
It was Mane’s 65th Premier League goal in 129 Liverpool appearances since arriving from Southampton for £ 34 million in 2016. And he brings his overall Premier League tally to 86 in 196 appearances.
What is the meaning of that record?
Well, because a certain Cristiano Ronaldo played 196 Premier League games during his time at Manchester United.
So with Mane and Ronaldo playing the exact same number of league games so far, what better time to compare their Premier League records.
We’ll see:
Games
Sadio Mane: 196
Cristiano Ronaldo: 196
Goals
Sadio Mane: 86
Cristiano Ronaldo: 84
Attend
Sadio Mane: 29
Cristiano Ronaldo: 36
Starts
Sadio Mane: 176
Cristiano Ronaldo: 157
Secondary appearances
Sadio Mane: 20
Cristiano Ronaldo: 39
Free throws scored
Sadio Mane: 0
Cristiano Ronaldo: 9
Penalties Scored
Sadio Mane: 0
Cristiano Ronaldo: 11
Minutes per goal
Sadio Mane: 176.9
Cristiano Ronaldo: 173.1
Minutes per goal without penalty
Sadio Mane: 176.9
Cristiano Ronaldo: 199.1
Minutes per goal or assist
Sadio Mane: 132.3
Cristiano Ronaldo: 121.1
So, Mane has scored more goals and has better minutes per goal without penalty than Ronaldo.
When you think that Ronaldo is considered one of the best Premier League players of all time, surely Mane must now be in the same group.
One man who refuses to hide his love for Mane is Jamie Carragher.
The former Liverpool defender suggested that Mane is one of the best players in his position in world football and even compared him to the great John Barnes of Liverpool.
“I said he was the best player last year,” Carragher told Sky Sports of Mane. “But to be fair Kevin De Bruyne got the player of the year and Jordan Henderson the other, but certainly for me, I thought Mane was Liverpool’s best player and would have been very close on the set.
“Without a doubt, one of the best attackers on the left side of world football, there is no doubt about that. I love him. I say that all the time.
“I always go back to Mane because it was Jurgen Klopp’s first big signing and that signing brought Liverpool to the Champions League in Klopp’s first full season and without that, I don’t think it will continue from there.
“Then other players come and there is more income in the club. But he was the one who came initially and has been the only constant from day one. He is a superstar.
“I was thinking about the header there. I remember a goal that John Barnes scored, I can imagine Barnes heading for Liverpool. I think it was at Aston Villa, winning behind him and heading.
“I can imagine a white uniform. We love John Barnes, we’ve played Barnes. He was always in Liverpool’s best 11, left. I think when Mane finishes, it’s a serious discussion, and I can’t believe it. I’m saying it because John Barnes is like a god to me.
“But what that man has done since he came to Liverpool, he’s really going to put pressure on John Barnes.”
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