Sadio Mané (Part 2)

After joining Liverpool on 28 June 2016 for a record fee, Sadio Mané made an immediate impact in the 2016–2017 season. He debuted in the Premier League on 14 August 2016, scoring against Arsenal in a thrilling 4–3 away victory. Despite missing a match due to a shoulder injury, he returned with two assists in a League Cup match against Burton Albion. One of his standout moments of the season came on 19 December 2016 when he scored the winning goal in added time against Everton in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.


Mané continued his impressive form into the 2017–2018 season. On 12 August 2017, he scored Liverpool's first goal of the season in a 3–3 draw against Watford. His remarkable performances in August earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award. However, he faced a setback on 9 September 2017, receiving a straight red card in a match against Manchester City, resulting in a three-match ban.
Despite this setback, Mané formed a formidable attacking quartet alongside Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Philippe Coutinho, which was later dubbed the "Fab Four" or "Fab Three" following Coutinho's departure mid-season. On 14 February 2018, Mané scored his first hat-trick for Liverpool in a 5–0 away win against Porto in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg, becoming only the second player to score an away hat-trick for the club in Europe.


In the 2018 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid on 26 May 2018, Mané scored Liverpool's equalizing goal in a 3–1 defeat. His goal made him the first Senegalese player to score in the final of the competition. Mané ended the season with 10 goals, contributing to Liverpool's historic achievement of having three players score 10+ goals in a single Champions League season.
On 22 November 2018, Sadio Mané committed his long-term future to Liverpool by signing a new contract with the club. His impact continued to be felt on the pitch as well. On 10 March 2019, he showcased his scoring prowess by netting twice in a 4–2 victory over Burnley, with the second goal marking his 50th competitive goal for Liverpool. This achievement also placed him among an elite group of Liverpool players, including Michael Owen, Fernando Torres, Luis Suárez, and Mohamed Salah, as one of the few to score in six consecutive home Premier League appearances.


Just three days later, Mané delivered another stellar performance, scoring twice in a crucial 3–1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, helping Liverpool advance to the quarter-finals. This impressive display also saw him surpassing a club record, becoming Liverpool's top away goalscorer in the competition.
Mané continued his goal-scoring spree in the Premier League, breaking another record previously held by Demba Ba. By scoring his 17th goal of the campaign in a 2–1 victory over Fulham, he became the Senegalese player with the most goals in a single Premier League season.
His exceptional performances throughout the season did not go unnoticed, as he was nominated for the prestigious PFA Players' Player of the Year award alongside teammate Virgil van Dijk. Additionally, he earned a spot in the PFA Team of the Year alongside other Liverpool stars, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, and Virgil van Dijk.


On the last day of the Premier League season, Sadio Mané delivered once again, scoring twice in a crucial 2–0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. His brace elevated his goal tally for the campaign to 22, a feat that saw him share the Premier League Golden Boot award with his teammate Mohamed Salah and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Mané's impact extended beyond the domestic league. In the 2019 UEFA Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur on 1 June, he played a pivotal role in securing victory for Liverpool. Just 24 seconds into the match, Mané's cross struck Moussa Sissoko's arm inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty for Liverpool. Salah converted the spot-kick to give Liverpool an early lead. Ultimately, Liverpool emerged triumphant with a 2–0 win, securing their sixth UEFA Champions League title. Mané's contribution to winning the penalty highlighted his importance to the team's success on the grandest stage of European football.


On 14 August 2019, Sadio Mané delivered a standout performance in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final against Chelsea, scoring twice to help Liverpool secure a thrilling 5–4 victory on penalties after the match ended 2–2 following 120 minutes of play. Mané's stellar display earned him the title of man of the match.
Exactly one month later, Mané showcased his prowess once again by scoring a brace in a 3–1 triumph over Newcastle United. This remarkable feat extended his record streak of matches without defeat for Liverpool at Anfield to 50, setting a league record by any player at a specific stadium.


Celebrating his 100th Premier League appearance for Liverpool on 5 October, Mané reached a significant milestone by netting his 50th league goal for the club in a 2–1 victory over Leicester City.
Acknowledging his outstanding performances, Mané was named in the 30-man shortlist for the prestigious 2019 Ballon d'Or on 21 October. He went on to finish in fourth place for the award on 2 December, trailing behind Lionel Messi, his Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk, and Cristiano Ronaldo.


Continuing his impressive form, Mané contributed to Liverpool's historic unbeaten run in league football, helping the team extend their streak to 32 matches with a 5–2 victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby on 4 December. Later in the month, Mané played a crucial role in Liverpool's triumph at the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, providing the assist for Roberto Firmino's winning goal in the final against Flamengo.
Mané's exceptional performances throughout the year culminated in him being honored as the CAF African Footballer of the Year on 7 January 2020, becoming only the second Senegalese player after El Hadji Diouf to win the prestigious award.


As the season progressed, Mané continued to shine for Liverpool, scoring crucial goals in their pursuit of the Premier League title. His winning goal in a 3–2 victory over West Ham United on 24 February helped Liverpool secure their 21st consecutive home win, matching a league record set by Bill Shankly's Liverpool team in 1972. On 7 March, Mané once again proved his worth by scoring the decisive goal in a 2–1 win against Bournemouth at Anfield, as Liverpool set a new English top-flight record of 22 consecutive home wins.
Liverpool eventually clinched the Premier League title at the end of the season, with Mané's contributions playing a significant role in their success.

References

1.  "Sadio Mané transféré au Red Bull Salzburg" [Sadio Mané transferred to Red Bull Salzburg] (in French). FC Metz. 31 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
2. ^ "Die Bullen im Kaufrausch" [The Bulls on a spending spree]. news.at (in German). 31 August 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
3. ^ "Kalsdorf 1–3 Salzburg". Goal.com. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
4. ^ "Grödig 0–3 Salzburg". Goal.com. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
5. ^ "Red Bulls in cup final after goal fest!". FC Red Bull Salzburg. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
6. ^ Skandal um Sadio Mané vor Malmö-Spiel, weltfussball.at, 26 August 2014
7. ^ "Southampton sign £10m forward Sadio Mané & Toby Alderweireld". BBC Sport. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
8. ^ "Arsenal 1–2 Southampton". BBC Sport. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
9. ^ "Southampton 2–1 Queens Park Rangers". BBC Sport. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
10. ^ Reddy, Luke (18 October 2014). "Southampton 8–0 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
11. ^ "Southampton 8 – 0 Sunderland". Premier League. 18 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 September 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
12. ^ Canavan, Steve (25 October 2014). "Southampton 1–0 Stoke". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
13. ^ "Crystal Palace 1–3 Southampton". BBC Sport. 26 December 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
14. ^ "Southampton 1–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. 28 December 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.