Paul Merson believes Liverpool's decision to agree to sell Sadio Mane this summer was the ‘worst business ever’ - adding his absence in pressing from the front is the key to the team's current problems.
Mane left for Bayern Munich at the end of June with the German club paying up to £35m for the Senegal forward, who had entered the final year of his contract and looked unlikely to sign an extension. The 30-year-old enjoyed an incredible six-season spell at Anfield, scoring 120 goals across all competitions and winning both the Champions League and Premier League plus many other honours.
The Reds had already signed Mane’s successor in January by bringing Luis Diaz in from Porto ahead of schedule, but decided to reinforce their front-line with the addition of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez for an initial £54m. However, whether directly related or consequential, Mane’s departure has coincided with a poor run of form that has seen Jurgen Klopp’s side win just two of their opening seven league games.
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But former Arsenal, Portsmouth and Aston Villa midfielder Merson believes the sale is not only related, but one of the key causes for the present struggles.
“I've said it from day one, in my opinion, selling Sadio Mane was the worst business ever,” Merson wrote in his column for Sky Sports . “The bloke scores big, big goals. Go through them, first goals, equalisers, winning goals in last minutes, big goals.
“He led from the front with his closing down, and for me, what they sold him for, I just didn't get it. Darwin Nunez isn't in the same league at the moment. Not in the same league at all.
“Their problems at the back start from the front. They're not closing down as a unit - you can go on about how talented that front three was, but they closed down from the front. It only took one more pass, and they'd score.
“Now they don't - so teams get through that press, if there is one, then they're into a midfield three which isn't the best in the country, and then you're running at the back four.”
Liverpool have a potentially season-defining fortnight coming up, with a European double-header against Rangers interceded by league clashes against Arsenal and Manchester City. And Merson believes Sunday’s trip to the Emirates is already a ‘must-not-lose’ occasion if they want to compete for a top-four place.
“I'm not a stats person, so I'm just going off the top of my head - but for me, Mane was a big, big player for Liverpool,” the Arsenal legend added. “To sell him for £30m-odd, which in the world of the Premier League is a cup of tea, wouldn't they have been better off to keep him and let him go for free?
“It's come back to bite them and could cost them a lot more than £30m by the end of the season. If Arsenal win on Sunday, they're out of the equation in terms of Liverpool catching them, and then there's only two spaces for the top four. If they win it, then they're one of those teams who can go on a little run. Eight points to 14 points is a lot of difference.
“It's 'must-not-lose' for them. Liverpool aren't catching Man City, so their season already is about getting in the top four.”
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