Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys is of the view that Liverpool should have sold Mohamed Salah instead of Sadio Mane in the summer.
Although they had to settle for the FA Cup and EFL Cup, Liverpool were genuine contenders to win the quadruple last season. However, they have made a poor start to their 2022-23 campaign.
The Reds currently sit eighth in the Premier League table with nine points, having drawn three, won two and lost one of their six matches so far. They also suffered an embarrassing 4-1 defeat at the hands of Napoli in their UEFA Champions League opener.
Assessing Liverpool’s start to the season, Keys admitted that he has been surprised by their poor run of form. The pundit believes Jurgen Klopp and Co. are still tired after their 63-game run last term.
Keys went on to express concerns over Salah, who has struggled for form this season. He suggested that the Merseyside-based club made a mistake by selling Mane instead of the Egyptian. The BeIN Sports presenter wrote in his blog:
“I can’t pretend that I’m a little surprised about Liverpool’s stuttering start. I’m sure it’ll come right, but they look tired. Salah is still way off and that’s got to be a concern for Klopp.”
“I know they had to sell either Mane or Salah because both contracts were winding down, but at the moment it looks as if they sold the wrong one, despite Mane’s apparent difficulties in Munich.”
It is worth noting that Salah also had his contract with the Anfield outfit expiring in 2023 ahead of the summer. However, he has since committed his future to the club till 2025.
How has Liverpool’s Salah fared in comparison to Mane this season?
Mane had one more year remaining on his contract with Liverpool going into the summer. However, he decided to put an end to his six-year association with the Premier League giants.
The Senegal international went on to join Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Julian Nagelsmann’s side paid an initial sum of £27.5 million to acquire the 30-year-old services in the summer.
Mane made a positive start to his stint with the Bavarians, scoring three goals from his first three Bundesliga matches. However, he has since not found the back of the net in the German top flight.
Salah, on the other hand, has scored four goals and provided three assists from nine appearances across all competitions for the Reds. He has contributed two more goals than Mane, while also playing lesser games.