Jamie Carragher is backing Sadio Mane for the Player of the Year award – although, admits it may be months away.
“It may be many months before the Player of the Year award is presented, but Mane deserves it,” he wrote in the Telegraph. “The problem for Liverpool is they have so many outstanding players there is not one who stands out above all others.
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
“I am favouring Mane because it is worth remembering he had only one week off last summer, taking his place on the bench for the first game against Norwich having just returned to pre-season training.
“He scored the winning goals at critical moments at the start of the season and in the weeks before play stopped. He has been phenomenal.”
What RTK has to say
The season (hopefully) isn’t over yet, of course. There are still nine games on most teams’ calendar, ten on others. Without them, it’s difficult to hand out a POTY award – but Liverpool did make it easier.
The Reds’ dominance makes one of their players likely to win it, although that isn’t always the case. Manchester City dominated the league themselves two years ago, of course, only for Mohamed Salah to win the award.
Similarly, Virgil van Dijk won it last year without the title. That does make it possible for a non-Red to win it.
Principle among those would be Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian has been brilliant for City, racking up a huge 16 assists – four off the record, with ten to play.
Carragher, however, wouldn’t be the only one to pick Mane for the award. If any Liverpool player were to win it, you’d likely pick the Senegalese.
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
He’s been consistent and vital, scoring important goals and winners. His late goal and assist at Aston Villa stands out as one of the performances of the season.
So if a Liverpool player is to win it – and we believe they should – then Mane is a wonderful choice.