Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman has slammed Sadio Mane for his role in the second goal conceded against West Ham.
The Senegalese ace was one of a number of Reds’ off the pace at the London Stadium as Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered their first defeat of the season.
Despite seemingly being back to top form this term, the 29-year-old squandered two opportunities to give Liverpool a strong foothold in east London.
However, it wasn’t the misses that angered McManaman as the 49-year-old told Premier League Productions that Mane played a dismal hand in the build-up to Pablo Fornals’ goal.
Everybody could have done better, Mane was awful, Jarrod Bowen takes it and Oxlade-Chamberlain or Fabinho should have brought him down, they’ve let Jarrod Bowen run 40 yards with the ball and slip Fornals in really comfortably. Jurgen Klopp will not be happy with how easy it was to just run, and run, and run before slipping the ball in.
So far this season the 75-times capped Senegal star has scored eight goals in 15 appearances.
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Whilst it’s easy to pinpoint many below-par moments – both individual and as a collective – ultimately Liverpool weren’t good enough on the day.
Now it’s down to Klopp to use this defeat as a wake-up call after the international break to drive the side on.
Liverpool have lost some of the poise, grit and determination that previously defined them and are currently involved in far too many high-scoring encounters.
After the break, Kopites will hope to see some of that composure return and with it the results.
