Times journalist Paul Joyce pulled this stat today that made our eyes open…
We knew Sadio Mane had been utterly vital this term, but perhaps not quite to this extent.
Everyone has seen the stats that until the Stoke game, we hadn’t won in the Premier League without the Senegalese, but this one on goals scored is even more revealing.
Liverpool score a league goal every 39 minutes when Sadio Mane is on pitch compared to every 71 minutes when he is not.
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) May 9, 2017
Liverpool score a league goal every 47 minutes Philippe Coutinho is on the pitch and every 44 minutes when the Brazilian is not.
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) May 9, 2017
We’re basically a very good attacking force with Mane and a very poor one without – while Coutinho has oddly made not that much difference to our overall output.
January displayed that, but our shoddy performances since his injury in the Merseyside Derby has displayed the same thing.
We’ve beaten Stoke, West Brom and Watford, but in truth, could have lost of all those matches. We did fail to beat Crystal Palace and Southampton at home in two more dire performances and really, we just can’t wait to have Mane – undeniably our most crucial player – back next season.
Without him, Jurgen Klopp hasn’t been able to select a side which provides consistent threat going forward. With him, we’re the most dangerous outfit in the country.
SEE MORE:
Vandal smashes window of Philippe Coutinho’s Porsche during awards ceremony