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Since Liverpool sold Sadio Mané to Bayern Munich, people have been quick to reference his loss as a reason behind the team's form. The Reds haven't been at their best this term, sitting eighth in the Premier League table at present, 14 points from the summit.
Mané was integral to Jürgen Klopp and his success on Merseyside. For six years, the Senegalese international delivered goals and assists at Anfield, showcasing remarkable consistency and elite performances on the biggest of stages.
It is perhaps no surprise that pundits have naturally linked Mané's loss and Liverpool's form, but correlation does not always equal causation. Instead, the drop is more likely to have stemmed from injuries, tactical problems and an ageing midfield department that was in desperate need of investment over the summer.
Indeed, the team's attack has been largely fine since his £35m sale, with Liverpool scoring a total of 36 goals in 14 matches across all competitions, equating to a healthy average of 2.6 per game which is admittedly inflated by isolated 9-0 and 7-1 victories over Bournemouth and Rangers.w
However, although it is a myth that Mané's absence has been the primary reason behind Liverpool's struggles, his sale could prove to be a problem for Klopp in the coming weeks after Liverpool fell to the likes of Northam Forest last weekend
Perhaps, the injuries worries in Liverpool now may have captures why Mané was so valuable to Liverpool. In addition to delivering valuable contributions on a regular basis, the African player of the year was robust and rarely missed out due to fitness problems. He averaged around 32.7 appearances per Premier League season — from a possible 38 games — during his time on Merseyside.
In his final three years, Mané appeared in 104 of Liverpool's 114 Premier League fixtures, often missing out because of Klopp's desire to present him with a rest, rather than him being unable to feature.
