If there was one player that Liverpool would have been desperate to return from the international break unscathed it was most likely Sadio Mane.
The Senegalese winger has, however, been ruled out for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury sustained against Cape Verde and will therefore miss a crucial period of the campaign for the Reds.
The former Saints flyer is certain to miss the upcoming league matches with fierce rivals Manchester United and Spurs, and crucially could be out of the next three Champions League games after consecutive draws have left Klopp’s side with work to do.
Their record without Mane since his arrival is certainly cause for concern, dropping points in eight of the 14 games that the 25-year-old has missed in the league alone. An impressive average of 2.10 points per game drops to a modest 1.64 without the forward in the starting XI.
It doesn’t bode well for the big game with Mourinho’s charges on Saturday, but the absence of their star man does at least ease a selection dilemma for the Liverpool boss. When the club signed Mo Salah there were immediately questions asked as to how Klopp would set up in attack.
Injuries and suspensions have as yet meant that it’s a problem the German hasn’t had to solve, with the fearsome foursome of Coutinho, Mane, Salah and Firmino fielded from kick-off just once to date. That game ended in a bitterly disappointing stalemate with Spartak Moscow, so there’s certainly still work to be done if the Reds are to get the best from their enviable attack.
The issue now is how to strike a balance that can continue to pose the same threat, though with Salah effectively serving as a replacement for Mane in that regard, the adjustment shouldn’t be too extreme.
Welcoming Adam Lallana back into the fold will be key in the coming weeks, allowing Coutinho to move forward into the front three and offering that bit more stability in midfield. For the time being, however, Can, Henderson and Wijnaldum will offer a solid base from which to build in a crucial area this weekend, with both Pogba and Fellaini absent for the visitors.
Moreover, Mane’s injury will present an opportunity to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose poor start at Anfield has brought great glee to those of an Arsenal persuasion. Said chances to impress have been few and far between thus far, though his starts for club and country since a switch from the Emirates have been far from encouraging.
It's widely reported that the England international would like a shot in a midfield berth, so it will be interesting to see how Klopp interprets the summer arrival's best position, and whether it be in a middle or front three. One thing for certain is that the 24-year-old simply doesn't possess the same quality in the final third as Mane, and that much will be sorely missed over the coming weeks.
As for the visit of Mourinho's men, Mane has actually never scored past United regardless. The concern now is that neither have Coutinho or Firmino in the league, so the onus may fall upon in form Mohamed Salah to get one over on the manager that deemed him surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.
Indeed, while Mane's injury is undoubtedly a cruel blow, it's one softened by the arrival of the Egyptian, with Klopp now more likely to find a way of playing without the former where he ultimately failed last season.
