Sadio Mane set to break Salah, Drogba, and Samuel Eto’o champions league record 

THE MAIN MAN Sadio Mane is set to equal former teammate Mohamed Salah’s African Champions League record, while Liverpool has struggled in his absence since his transfer to Bayern Munich.
Sadio Mane has thrived since joining Bayern Munich this summer, as the Senegalese enjoy being the main man.

Mane, 30, completed a £35 million move to Munich after leaving Liverpool after six years, and he scored his first Bundesliga goal in 29 minutes.

The forward has managed five goals in his first seven appearances and will be hoping to carry that form into the Champions League.

Mane is on the cusp of becoming just the fourth African player to reach 25 goals in UEFA’s elite competition.

The Senegal captain is just one shy of the historic milestone and a goal in Bayern’s Group C opener against Inter Milan will put him up alongside Didier Drogba (44), former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah (36), and Samuel Eto’o (30).

Mane has already overtaken Chelsea icon Drogba’s record as the African with the most goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

And his rapid rise to European supremacy is all the more remarkable considering his first UCL goal came as recently as November 2017.

In stark contrast, Liverpool has stumbled through their opening fixtures in his absence bar a 9-0 thumping of Bournemouth.

A 0-0 draw with rivals Everton at the weekend saw them collect just nine from a possible 18 so far – already six behind leaders Arsenal.

Considering why Klopp’s side is having a mixed start, Gabby Agbonlahor believes several factors are at play, including Mane’s exit.

“There is something missing in that side,” he told Jamie O’Hara on the GameDay Phone In.

“Today [against Everton] is the sort of game where you would rely on Mane to come up with some sort of brilliance and make a goal. Mane’s runs would open up more space for Salah.

Salah does not appear to be scoring, which is unusual for Mo Salah. He needs to spread his wings and find some space.

“The midfield was ineffective. They used Fabinho as a sitter, with Elliott and Carvalho in front of him. It simply did not work for me today.

“Robertson was dropped at the back, and Trent was taken off after 60 minutes.” Something is wrong with Liverpool’s defense, and they are conceding far too many points.”