Mo Salah and Sadio Mane ‘are not natural finishers’, says Michael Owen

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Liverpool hero Michael Owen has criticised current stars Mo Salah and Sadio Mane for not being ‘natural finishers’.

The former England international believes the main problem with the duo, at least in the case of the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday, is they’re often spoilt with chances – but when they don’t come as often, they’re not as clinical.

Salah bagged early on at Anfield over the weekend, but Mane had another game to forget as the forward continued to endure a dry period for goals.

Owen, who scored 158 times for Liverpool in eight seasons, criticised the duo for not taking the chances they were handed against Newcastle.

Mane, brilliant player, scores lots of goals. Salah, unbelievable player as well, scores lots of goals,” Owen told BT Sport, as quoted by the Echo.

Michael Owen knows a thing or two about goal-scoring

But they’re not natural finishers, they’re not someone that you can hang your hat on. They’ve scored goals consistently because Liverpool have, like today, created so many chances.

But they’ve been wanting, or the team have been found wanting a lot of the season with missed chances.”

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While the Reds did indeed falter in front of goal against Newcastle – not for the first time this season – it seems a little harsh to zone in on Salah and Mane, to us.

But it’s hard to defend the players when they’re missing as many chances as they are, with Salah one of only a few redeeming members of the squad in recent weeks.

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