Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has suggested that Liverpool are still struggling to adapt to life without Sadio Mane following their shock defeat at Brentford on Monday night.
Liverpool were deservedly beaten 3-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium with an Ibrahima Konate own goal and a Yoane Wissa strike putting the hosts ahead before the break.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, scored just minutes into the second-half, his first goal in nearly a year, but it was to no avail as Bryan Mbeumo finished the game off with Brentford’s third late on.
There is now real concern that Jurgen Klopp’s side could miss out on a top four finish for the first time since 2016, with the Reds sixth in the table, four points off Manchester United having played a game more.
It’s been a stuttering season for Klopp and co., who have lacked the intensity and often the clinical finishing that has brought so much success to Anfield in recent years.
Many factos and indeed some players have been blamed for this but 29-year-old Oxlade-Chamberlain believes that his side are missing the influence of star forward Mane who left for Bayern Munich last summer.
The midfielder, who played at left-wing against Brentford, told LFCTV: ‘I’ve watched Sadio and Mo [Salah] play that position for years and one thing that they have both done outstandingly well is provide goals for the team.
‘It’s a bit different when Darwin [Nunez] is playing through the middle because he’s such a threat in behind. When Bobby [Roberto Firmino] plays that role he usually drops a bit deeper and fills that half space.
‘That has been my role from there, being the one who drops deep and tries to link but ultimately get up with Darwin and Mo’s pace and get in and around the box.
‘That’s the thing the last few games I’ve been missing, that real goal threat, so it was nice to sort of get that chance and take it tonight – it’s just a shame it doesn’t mean anything.’
Over the past six seasons, Mane scored 120 goals and made 48 assists for Liverpool, and while Salah’s numbers were better, Mane was often regarded as their most important player due to not only his offensive abilities but also his defensive work-rate.
Anticipating the loss of the Senegal forward, Liverpool signed both striker Nunez and forward Luis Diaz and while both have showed flashes of brilliance neither have really looked like Mane replacements.
Perhaps new signing Cody Gakpo can fill that void, with the 23-year-old in frame to play in Liverpool’s next game against Wolves in the FA Cup on Saturday.
Source: metro.co.uk
