As Sadio Mane rolled the ball home to put the seal on Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Selhurst Park on Monday evening, Crystal Palace fans could have been forgiven for wondering whether the winger has something of a personal vendetta against their team.
In confirming three points for the Reds in south London, Mane clocked up his sixth strike in just eight Premier League appearances against the Eagles – a remarkable record started by a goal for Southampton at the same venue back in December 2014.
But it isn’t that the Senegalese has an axe to grind with Palace; more that his prolific nature has seen him become the scourge of almost every side he faces.
Mane has scored against 14 of the 20 teams that currently make up the league, with only Huddersfield Town, Brighton and former club Southampton escaping his wrath along with this season’s three newly promoted sides. Roy Hodgson won’t hang Aaron Wan-Bissaka out to dry against Liverpool And it would be folly to back those six teams to end the current campaign with their record still intact.
Having started his third year at Anfield with three goals in two appearances, there is a growing feeling that now is the time for the 26-year-old to truly assume world-class status.
Only some poor luck and the significant shadow cast by Mohamed Salah’s 44-goal debut season prevented Mane from announcing himself in similar fashion last time around.
After making a bright start to 2017-18 featuring three goals in as many league outings, the wideman was sent off as Liverpool slumped to a 5-0 defeat at Manchester City in early September.
Liverpool fans have been left mightily impressed by the pace demonstrated by referee Michael Oliver on Monday night.
The 33-year-old Premier League official was in charge of the Reds’ clash against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The visitors won 2-0 thanks to a first half James Milner penalty and an injury time Sadio Mane goal.
And it was in the build up to the forward’s 93rd minute goal that Liverpool fans were left blown away.
The Reds had defended a Crystal Palace corner, with Mohamed Salah and Mane breaking free on the counter attack – the pair being arguably two of the Premier League’s quickest players.