"What a player he has been" - Jamie Carragher singles out Liverpool star for praise after FA Cup win against Manchester City
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher praised the Reds attacker Sadio Mane following his heroics in the FA Cup semi-finals against Manchester City. The Senegal international scored twice for Jurgen Klopp's side as they defeated Manchester City 3-2 at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
French defender Ibrahima Konate opened the scoring for his side with a bullet header from an Andrew Robertson corner. Mane doubled the lead having capitalized on Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen's poor mistake. The United States international dwelled on the ball for too long and Mane's tackle resulted in the ball going into the net.
The 30-year-old forward then scored an absolute stunner from outside the box to give the Merseysiders a 3-0 lead.
Sadio Mane. So special ✨ https://t.co/XnR3XD7ien
Pep Guardiola's side scored twice in the second half to give the game a nervy finish but couldn't prevent the Reds from reaching the FA Cup final.
During the game, Liverpool icon Carragher took to Twitter to express his admiration towards Mane.
He tweeted:
“I love Sadio Mane."
He later added another tweet which read:
“What a player you’ve been and still are for Liverpool.”
Liverpool will find their opponents out in the FA Cup final on Sunday as Chelsea take on Crystal Palace in the other semi-final.
The FA Cup final will take place at Wembley Stadium on 14 May. The Reds will be keen on another cup victory this season. They had already beaten Chelsea in the League Cup final on penalties at the same venue in February.
Sadio Mane has been a brilliant player for Liverpool over the years
Since his move to Anfield from Southampton back in 2016, Mane has been a brilliant servant to the club. He has been one of the cornerstones around whom Klopp has built his squad over the years.
His numbers over the years have not been as impressive as that of Mohamed Salah. However, Mane always delivers when it matters the most.
#LIVMCII love Sadio Mane ❤️ #LIVMCI
The forward, who turned 30 last week, now has 18 goals in 41 games this season having picked up his form at the right moment.
Liverpool are still in the running for an unprecedented quadruple and Mane's form will be an encouragement for Klopp. Besides the FA Cup, they face Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League. They are also one point behind Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
However, with Mane's contract up for expiry in the summer of 2023, his future at the club looks up in the air. There has been no news regarding a new deal and we will have to wait and see what awaits for the 30-year-old.