Liverpool striker Danny Ings has laughed off suggestions that Sadio Mane’s season has been below par.
The 26-year-old has formed a fearsome partnership with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino in the Reds’ attacking third, with the trio terrorising oppositions' defences. And his opener in their 3-0 defeat of Bournemouth last week took his tally for the campaign to 17, which also cemented his status as the highest scoring Senegalese in the English Premier League, with 44 efforts.
Ings lauded his feat in the ongoing campaign and highlights the reason why the output of the former Southampton man should not be a yardstick for the credits he receives.
“For anyone’s ‘bad’ season, that’s extremely good! There’s no such thing as a bad season for him, he has been absolutely brilliant,” Ings told club website.
“He is so sharp; when he faces anybody up in a one-v-one situation you fancy him every single time.
“His runs in behind, his intelligent movement coming short, inside and helping Robbo get down the outside – they’re the sort of things that go unnoticed sometimes.
“From the outside looking in, it’s [about] goals and assists. He gets all of that, all of our front three do. But it’s the movement and work-rate that really catches my eye.”
Mane will be hoping to get on with his ‘extremely good’ campaign as Liverpool take on West Bromwich Albion in Saturday's league encounter.