Three stunning goals from Sadio Mane, Mo Salah, and Luis Diaz helped Liverpool claim a 3-1 win over Norwich City.
Both the AFCON finalists scored monumental goals on their return. While Mane scored his 108th goal, Salah completed a total of 150 goals for Liverpool.
After dominating the first half of the game, Liverpool were given a scare as Milot Rashica opened the scoreboard for the Canaries just after the interval.
Jurgen Klopp’s men quickly responded with venom, which soon paid off, as Sadio Mane scored from an acrobatc effort.
At the 64th minute, Jordan Henderson’s long ball into the box was headed towards the goal by Kostas Tsimikas, which was turned in by Mane’s acrobatic bicycle kick.
Manager Jurgen Klopp was awestruck by Mane’s goal and hailed him as a “world-class striker.”
In a post-match interview, the German manager said, “[Mane’s] goal record is absolutely insane as well, and the goal he scored today [Saturday] maybe shows the whole range of the things he can do.”
“He helped the team today massively with first playing in the centre, then going back to the left-wing, then being in the right moment in the centre, then doing a bicycle kick. He’s a world-class striker, wherever he will play. It’s really helpful to have him here.”
Yes Mo Salah is an all time #LFC great. But so is Sadio Mane. He scored his 108th goal for the club – the same as John Barnes
— David Maddock (@MaddockMirror) February 19, 2022
Barnes got 108 in 407 games – an all time great
Mane did it in 248 games – 159 fewer. Surely in same breath as greatest Liv left wing of all time#LFC
He also mentioned that the 29-year-old was in a good mood, as he had been trying a bicycle kick in their previous match too.
“He had two bicycle kicks in Milan, so he is obviously in a bicycle kick mood!”
With Manchester City dropping points after a loss to Spurs, Liverpool are now only six points behind the reigning champions with a game in hand.