Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea: Mohamed Salah takes plaudits but Sadio Mane's efficient display just as crucial

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  • Goals from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool to a crucial 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday in the Premier League.

    The three points took them back to the top of the table, one point ahead of Manchester City who have a game in hand.

    Chelsea provided a good test at Anfield but Mane broke the deadlock six minutes into the second half before Salah doubled their advantage inside two minutes with a spectacular effort from range.

    Eden Hazard hit the post and was denied by the keeper as Liverpool held on for victory.

    Here, we take a closer look at Mane’s performance.

    STATISTICS

    Goals – 1

    Shots – 3

    Shots on target – 2

    Touches – 58

    Key passes – 2

    Pass accuracy – 90.6 %

    Crosses – 4

    Fouled – 2

    KEY MOMENTS

    39th minute – CHANCE: Loftus-Cheek loses the ball and Liverpool counter with Salah squaring it for Mane inside the box. His whipped effort fizzes wide of the near post though.

    51st minute – GOAL: Jordan Henderson hangs up a ball at the far post after some good work from Salah and Mane is on hand to bury in his header from close range.

    88th minute – CHANCE: Virgil van Dijk launches a ball forward and Kepa Arrizabalaga is caught in two minds, allowing Mane to knock it past him. However, with the goal unmanned, the forward couldn’t keep the ball in play.

    89th minute – SHOT: Mane does brilliantly to drive past two players before his powerful shot forces a good save from Kepa.

    GOT RIGHT

    Efficiency – Salah is never out of the action for long. Liverpool’s play is often conducted down his side and the Egyptian is not averse to firing a series of efforts at goal. Mane on the other hand is not exactly passive but certainly takes a more subtle approach. He identifies space and waits for the ball to find him in it.

    He did that excellently against Chelsea as well and could’ve had more than his one goal as a result. He only had three shots but scored from one of them while two were on target. He didn’t try to take on several players like Salah but his passing was neat, tidy … efficient.

    GOT WRONG

    Tracking back – The Senegalese didn’t show as much enthusiasm as he could’ve when Chelsea attempted to break forward. Often the Blues found space down the right with Andrew Robertson caught up field. Mane showed little desire to track back and the hosts could easily have conceded from one of those transitions, Hazard certainly came close.

    VERDICT

    Salah will take the plaudits for that incredible goal and his energetic display but Mane was deserves credit as well for breaching a stubborn Chelsea defence when a house full Anfield was growing restless.

    RATING: 7/10

    All statistics are compiled using whoscored.com

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