Liverpool's Sadio Mane rediscovers his touch after pep talk with Jurgen Klopp over derby mishap
Sadio Mane’s first year at Liverpool was ended by a knee injury in the Merseyside derby. This season he has just recovered from the mental wound suffered in the same fixture.
Jurgen Klopp has revealed how affected Mane was by an error in the 1-1 draw with Everton in December. With Liverpool one up before half-time, Mane elected to shoot when team mates waited for a tap-in. That, Klopp believes, led to a dip in form. A managerial pep talk was needed to restore the African’s confidence.
“After the Everton game when he didn’t pass the ball, everybody made a big criticism of him,” said Klopp.
“I didn’t mention it to be honest. I didn’t mention it at half-time, I didn’t mention it after the game, it was not mentioned in any meeting because I saw in Sadio’s eyes that if he could turn the clock backwards he would do it.
“At that moment he was convinced he would score, he was a striker and a striker has to make a decision. I want him to make these decisions, but sometimes you have to accept that these decisions are wrong.
“I accept it, you have to accept it as well. So as long as you don’t do the same in the next 20 similar situations so that people start thinking, ‘what’s that about?’ that is no problem. You cannot play football without mistakes. He didn’t want to do it. Now he is completely different again."
Klopp hopes Mane's struggles are over. Last week’s display against Manchester City was his best for months.
“Of course we had talks,” said Klopp. “I like to be honest and I don’t want to say Sadio was brilliant when he wasn’t. Everyone could see that he struggled a bit. It didn’t look like it was too easy for him.
“How can I say to you what I told the player in a one-to-one meeting? It is not possible, but it was about what he did so far. Good, good, good, good, good; one or two things not that good, but the rest good.
“So lets build on that and ignore the rest. You cannot think all the time about your mistakes because that makes no sense. You cannot forget all the good things.
“At Burnley he scored a fantastic goal but it was not a world class game of Sadio, Since then he is now really back, he works hard, he protects the ball, no risky dribbling and he is a world class player. The two goals he scored (against Burnley and Manchester City) – I don’t know a lot of players who could have scored these.”
With Coutinho gone, it is a timely return to form.
“It had nothing to do with Phil, but Sadio is one of the players who, for sure, can fill this gap if you want,” said Klopp.
Liverpooltravelled to Swansea on Sunday ahead of Monday’s fixture, but despite his return to training Daniel Sturridge was not part of the squad.
Sturridge’s Anfield career is drawing to an end, Inter Milan and Sevilla trying to secure a loan agreement. Inter have been in the more advanced discussions with the Liverpool hierarchy – their terms more favourable – but Sturridge has expressed a preference to move to La Liga.
Liverpool will not let the striker leave unless the financial package is favourable – they will not subsidise Sturridge’s wages while he is loan. They would also prefer an agreement that leads to a permanent transfer.
Klopp, meanwhile, continues to take a pragmatic view on the future of Emre Can who remains a focal point of his line-up despite his refusal to pledge his long-term future to the club. Klopp hopes such situations do not become frequent, but says it is difficult to prevent.
“We have to make it as difficult, let me say it like this, for (players) to want to leave, but it still can, and probably will, happen,” he said.
“There are other places with football clubs as well. We cannot ignore that. In this age group maybe not all of them are one team players, or one club players.”
