Sadio Mane: Liverpool ‘hoping and praying’ after official request lodged – expert
Liverpool will “hope and pray” that Senegal followed all concussion protocols to the letter of the law with regards to Sadio Mane.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Mane was knocked unconscious early in the second half of Senegal’s 2-0 win over Cape Verde in the Africa Cup of Nations last Tuesday (25 January).
But he played on after receiving treatment and scored before he was taken off after complaining of dizziness 15 minutes after the initial incident.
The Daily Mail reported last Saturday (29 January) that Liverpool made an official appeal to the 29-year-old not to play in the following game.
But that request seemingly fell on deaf ears as Mane has started in both the quarter-final and semi-final wins over Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Dinnery argues that it is no surprise that Mane has played on despite the risks.
“This is always a difficult one,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“You’re quite often beholden to what you’re being told by those who are assessing the player. The player himself will come into this as well.
“Liverpool just have to hope and pray that everything that they say is true.
“Everybody has their own agenda. Managers, coaches, backroom staff, they are all judged on results.
“Was there any doubt that they wouldn’t start him if he had been cleared to play? Absolutely no chance.
“That request from Liverpool will probably have fallen on deaf ears.
“Mane will be proud to represent his country on the biggest stage. I don’t think there was any doubt that he would start.”
Senegal will face either Cameroon or Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in the final of Afcon on Sunday (6 February).
Mane is one goal away from becoming Senegal’s all-time top scorer.
In other news, pundit suggests “time is up” for Divock Origi and senior Liverpool teammate after latest developments.