Liverpool hopeful over Sadio Mane injury scare

Liverpool are hopeful that Sadio Mane has avoided a serious injury after he was sent for X-rays on an apparent rib injury during the international break.

Mane managed less than half an hour in Senegal's recent 1-1 draw with Togo after an awkward collision with an opponent left him complaining of pain in his ribs.

Senegal boss Aliou Cisse has played down the issue, insisting Mane's withdrawal from the game was simply precautionary, but Liverpool fans have been left sweating by news from BBC Sport that he has been sent for X-rays to determine the severity of his injury.

At Anfield, however, the mood is calm. The Athletic state that there are currently no plans to fly Mane back to Liverpool earlier than scheduled and there is cautious optimism that Cisse's positive update is the reality.

Obviously, that all would change if these X-rays throw up anything concerning, but the belief is that Mane is going to walk away from this one unscathed.

Liverpool will be desperate to keep Mane healthy at a time in which they are already without one of their star trio of forwards.

Brazilian Roberto Firmino is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury and may well not be seen until 2022, so losing Mane as well would come as an enormous blow to Jurgen Klopp ahead of a hectic winter schedule for which he has made his distaste perfectly clear.

To add a little extra tension to the wait for the test results, Liverpool's next game is a visit from Arsenal on November 20, with the Gunners capable of leapfrogging their opponents into the top four with a victory.

Klopp's men have won just two of their last six Premier League games and went into the international break having seen their 25-game unbeaten run ended by West Ham United, so a statement response against Arsenal is needed.


Source : 90min