BBC pundit Garth Crooks believes Sadio Mane has made a 'total mockery' of players unable to handle fixture pile-ups having made a total of 64 appearances for club and country this season.
Liverpool's Premier League win over Wolves yesterday afternoon marked Mane's 50th outing for the Reds during the 2021/22 campaign, with the 30-year-old also featuring for Senegal 14 times as part of qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup as well as participating in the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Liverpool forward ended the season strongly for Jurgen Klopp's side with a goal on the final day at Anfield, taking his top-flight goalscoring tally to 16. With 23 goals to his name in all competitions, Mane has again stepped up when it matters most and has the chance to claim his third trophy of the season at club level on Saturday evening in Paris.
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Hailing the influence of the Senegalese star, Crooks named Mane in his Premier League Team of the Season as he explained why the former Southampton man remains an underrated member of the Reds' squad. "He rarely misses a game, he's as tough as old boots and he doesn't make a song and dance about anything - that's Sadio Mane," said the BBC pundit.
"What a season this lad has had. Diogo Jota arrives and tries to take his place and so does Luis Diaz but to no avail. He then flies off to Cameroon for a month to play for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations; wins the tournament for his country with the decisive penalty in the final shootout, comes back to Liverpool and picks up where he left off.
"He makes a complete and total mockery of the 'we need a rest' brigade who bolt for the treatment room every time there's a whiff of a fixture pile-up. Mane has been sensational for Liverpool and without doubt the most committed striker in the country."
Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah also make the cut in Crooks' squad, with Van Dijk also receiving particularly high praise.
"He looks immaculate on the pitch and plays in the same manner. He is without doubt the best defender on the planet - and without him, Liverpool wouldn't have had anywhere near the success they have had," said Crooks of the Dutch defender.
"But that is part of the genius of Jurgen Klopp. Having the ability to spot what your team need, and when they need it, is a key element of management. It also has to be said that Van Dijk wasn't world class when he arrived at Anfield but under the careful stewardship of Klopp and his coaching staff, he has turned into something very special.
"The mere fact they've held on to him for so long is also a testament to an adoring Anfield crowd who appreciate the jewel in the crown."
