Main man Mane kept shackled
THEY were convinced within two training sessions. There is no eye more critical than the one players cast over a new signing and, at Melwood last summer, the scrutiny was heavy.
Liverpool had just sanctioned a £30million deal to make Sadio Mane the third biggest purchase in their history.
Given that the two men above him in that list — Andy Carroll and Christian Benteke — had given the Anfield club poor value for money, nobody other than manager Jurgen Klopp was in a hurry to talk. Things changed quickly, however. Mane arrived from Southampton just in time to begin Klopp’s arduous pre-season drills, but, as soon as the running stopped and the balls came out, any doubts the players may have had about their new team-mate were dissolved by his dancing feet.
‘Straight away you could see what he was going to bring to this team,’ said midfielder Adam Lallana back then.
‘It was all there in the first couple of sessions. He is going to be a very good addition, believe me.’
That is what Mane has been so far. In Liverpool’s turbo-charged beginning to this campaign, he has been following Klopp’s mantra, turning those who doubted whether he was worth his fee into believers. Convincing them that he can become the shining star of this remodelled team.
He is a Klopp player to the core. Fast, aggressive and relentless, he is a forward who, in his first seven appearances, had got Liverpool fans out of their seats and scored some wonderful goals.
With Anfield expectant for last night’s game of the season, this, it seemed, was the evening to really stamp his authority.
It never works out that way, though, does it?
Mane (right) is a player whom Manchester United had watched many times over the past two seasons and he had made such an impression that Louis van Gaal had wanted to sign him in the summer of 2015. It left the visitors well prepared last night.
Part of Mane’s explosiveness comes when he plays in what Klopp calls ‘the half spaces’.
These are the areas where defenders do not know whether to stick or twist, fearing that one toe-poke will leave them exposed and allow the Senegalese star to wreak havoc.
Alas for Liverpool fans, there was no chance of that happening here.
From the moment Jose Mourinho emerged from Anfield’s tunnel to head for the dugout at 7.53pm, two minutes before anyone else, he was in big-game mode and his players emerged in the same obdurate mood.
United’s defence formed a blue shield across the penalty area. They made it nigh-on impossible for Liverpool to exchange those pinball passes that had seen them score 13 times in their past four Premier League games. Mane suffered accordingly. His first touch, in the fourth minute, was a pass that was intended for full-back Nathaniel Clyne, but the ball ended up drifting out of play.
It set the tone. He tried to wriggle away, to scamper into dangerous positions, but, every time, he found himself being buffeted by United players.
The visitors had been well-drilled, no doubt about that.
If the ball came anywhere near Mane, two, three or even four men would pounce. If it wasn’t Marouane Fellaini getting in his way, it was Daley Blind. If it wasn’t Chris Smalling blocking his path, it was Ander Herrera.
So eager was Mane to try to make something happen, his impetuosity led to him getting in Emre Can’s way in the 33rd minute, taking the ball away from the German midfielder as he was shaping to shoot towards goal.
Still, he kept going. No matter how many times he was clattered.
No matter how much frustration he endured, United always had sentries on him. They could not afford for it to be any other way if Mourinho’s masterplan was to work here.
In the end, this was never going to be Mane’s night. It was summed up when he failed to usher in Roberto Firmino late on, the kind of situation he would normally take full advantage of. Yes, there will be other enticing opportunities in the future. Liverpool’s players know they have a good player alongside them. But the treatment United gave him last night shows that their rivals do, too.