Liverpool are arguably still to replace Sadio Mane on the left wing more than three years since his departure.
The Senegal legend occupied a near-certain position on the left of the Reds’ attack for six glorious seasons under Jurgen Klopp.
Six months before Mane‘s exit, Luis Diaz was brought in, and although the Colombian proved to be an excellent signing, he never quite rose to the level of his predecessor.
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Diaz himself has now moved on, with Arne Slot struggling to get the best out of Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz or anyone else he uses on the left wing.
Part of the issue this season has been the impact of trying to bed Milos Kerkez in as a new left-back. The Hungarian is taking time to build relationships on the pitch, and Liverpool are suffering as a result.
It is a far cry from Mane’s days of linking up with Andy Robertson. Looking back on his time with the Reds in conversation with Rio Ferdinand this week, Mane has paid a big compliment to Liverpool’s veteran full-back.
Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson pictured in conversation during Liverpool's Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
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Sadio Mane picks Andy Robertson as his best partner
When discussing Mane’s Liverpool career, the conversation will never be far from the topic of his legendary partnership with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
Between them the three players formed one of the best trios European football has ever seen, and some supporters may have expected Mane to pick one of the two as his best link-up.
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“Liverpool was like home, it was my comfort zone. So, I thought let’s try something because I have won almost everything here.”
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But while the 33-year-old gives a glowing assessment of Firmino and speaks well of Salah too, he gives that accolade to Robertson.
“I think this was amazing, people usually talk about the front three, me, Bobby and Mo but if you see Robertson, the overlapping and this desire to win every single ball, it’s just amazing,” Mane said.
“Robbo for me was the partnership in all my career because we knew each other. It was just natural since he came, it just became natural. I helped him, he helped me. When he played against a winger who was really tough for him, I said ‘you help me, I’ll help you. I said I will be here for you, don’t worry! We will catch him!’
“I told him I’ll take the inside, if the winger is tough, Robbo took the outside. Even if I was tired, it was always ‘help me, help you’. I would go, take the inside and he’d take the outside so it was easier.”
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Mane and Robertson’s partnership did not solidify overnight, but it can be hard not to think of the two in tandem down the Liverpool left and not get a little misty-eyed.
The Reds are currently a long way from having something similar to lean on on that side of the pitch.
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Kerkez has had his struggles since arriving, but the issue here is not necessarily even his. It is arguably more of a problem that Gakpo does not feel like the long-term answer.
Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Antoine Semenyo, adding to the feeling that Slot does not have the man he wants at left wing.
If Semenyo does come in, perhaps he can strike up a partnership with his former Bournemouth teammate which compares to that which Mane and Robertson formed. Until then, supporters will continue to dream of what they used to have.