Sadio Mane believes winning silverware at Liverpool easily takes precedence over individual accolades.
The Senegalese has been a revelation since joining the Reds from Southampton in 2016, but is still searching for his first trophy at the club.
That applies to almost every squad member, with Liverpool’s last success coming in 2012, after beating Cardiff City in the League Cup final.
In an interview with Goal, Mane says expectation levels act as motivation this season, with silverware hopefully coming at the end of it:
For us, it’s a motivation, not a pressure. We are all still young, and we know we have a great team. We will continue to try to do our best, but it’s not pressure. Pressure doesn’t help.
Of course, last season, nobody expected it from us, and maybe this year they do. But that’s not pressure; that’s motivation to do even better. You need that.
The aim of any player is to get better and better and better. That’s why we work hard in training. But don’t forget that we are a team, and the most important thing is to win trophies.
Of course, I would love to score more than I did last season, but only if it helps us to win!
Mane is yet to hit the scintillating heights of last season, with the 26-year-old not quite clicking alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
They are all too good not to hit top gear sooner rather than later, however, both as individuals and an attacking unit.
If Liverpool are to end that trophy drought, Mane’s influence is going to be key.
