Pundit Phil Thompson has blasted the claim that former Liverpool player Sadio Mane is responsible for the Reds’ downfall this season.
Speaking on ‘Off The Ball’ radio, the former Anfield hero discussed the various issues Jurgen Klopp’s side are experiencing this term.
During this, he was quick to critique the argument which blames Mane’s £35m move to Bayern Munich as the reason why the Merseyside outfit are underperforming this term.
“I don’t know [why] it has gotten that bad,” Thompson said.
“You like to think you can come up with answers; you think tactically, emotionally, you go through all of those things.
“You think was it about Sadio Mane? People look back at that, but I think that’s too easy to say it’s just Sadio Mane.
“But the press is just not working anymore, I don’t know how or why.”
Thompson says Mane isn’t responsible
Thompson is absolutely right to say it’s lazy to think Mane’s departure is the reason why Liverpool have fallen apart this season.
Towards the end of his tenure at Anfield, the Senegal international looked more and more off the pace.
He looked a lot like the rest of Liverpool’s squad this season, who seem hugely affected by last year’s campaign, which saw them play every single game possible in Europe.
The attacker was declining for 18 months before he left Merseyside, and Mohamed Salah was the better player at the time.
Therefore, claims suggesting the Reds were fully reliant on Mane are just way off the mark.
Liverpool’s lack of investment has come back to haunt them, and they are experiencing the ramifications of that this term.