Sadio Mane established a dangerous attacking trio with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, but when asked to choose the finest finisher he has played with in his career, he dismissed both of them
When asked to name the best finisher he has played with in his career, Sadio Mane, a former Liverpool player, chose Divock Origi over Mohamed Salah.
Together with current Liverpool star and Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino, the Senegalese attacker formed one-third of a devastating attacking trifecta. Mane won the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, and a slew of other trophies under Jurgen Klopp before joining German powerhouse Bayern Munich in the summer.
Given Salah’s 174 goals for the Reds since his debut, it’s logical that the Egyptian would be named as one of Mane’s most dangerous colleagues. It is not entirely correct.
When asked on TikTok by 1teamsports who the finest finisher he has played with in his career, he paused for a bit before naming ex-Reds striker Origi. With 41 goals in 175 appearances, the Belgian striker was not the most prolific at Anfield
He became a cult hero, however, after scoring a memorable goal against Barcelona in the Champions League and setting a Merseyside derby record. Klopp, the Reds’ manager, has also backed up Mane’s assertion.
“He [Origi] is a legend on and off the pitch,” the German said last season after Origi scored again against Everton. Excellent footballer, world-class striker, and our finest finisher.
“Everyone would agree on that. This is evident throughout training. It is a difficult decision to leave him out. Everyone here adores Divock.”
Notwithstanding the assertions of both Mane and Klopp, Origi has had a dreadful period since leaving Liverpool. After his contract with Liverpool expired, he joined Italian giants AC Milan on a free transfer.
Since joining, the 27-year-old has only scored two goals in 21 appearances across all competitions, earning him the title of Serie A’s worst signing of the season. He was not the only former Liverpool teammate to receive a mention.
Jordan Henderson was also chosen, with the Senegalese forward tasked with identifying the finest leader among his ex-teammates, with the Liverpool captain being the obvious pick. During the video, though, Mane made another blatant oversight.
The final question asked him to name the finest defender he has ever played alongside. With his transformative impact at Anfield, Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk would have been a great proposal.
Mane’s replacement was Senegal teammate Kalidou Koulibaly. The defender had a fantastic career with Italian giants Napoli but has struggled to adjust to life in the Premier League since joining Chelsea in the summer.
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