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Xherdan Shaqiri must grab Liverpool chance if tasked with replacing injured star
Liverpool secured a vital 2-1 win away at Chelsea in the Premier League yesterday but the three points did come at a cost.
Sadio Mane hobbled off for the Reds and according to the club’s he suffered a knock on the bone around the knee and a dead leg.
That doesn’t bode well for a run of crucial fixtures and boss Jurgen Klopp will need to assess who comes in to replace the Senegalese star.
Mane has netted six times in all competitions this season and he is a vital part of Klopp’s scintillating front three.
Liverpool face MK Dons in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, before travelling to Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.
Then follows games against Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League and Leicester City in the Premier League.
One man who seems in pole position to replace Mane in the side is outcast Xherdan Shaqiri.
The 27-year-old hasn’t featured much so far this season but he would be the natural option to deputise should Mane be forced into missing a few games.
Despite only signing for Liverpool prior to last season this latest opportunity could be a make-or-break scenario for the Switzerland international.
Shaqiri has featured largely as a substitute during his time at Anfield, making 34 appearances, scoring six goals and registering five assists for the team.
The £80,000-a-week forward will almost certainly start against MK Dons on Wednesday and Mane’s absence could mean he keeps his place for the Bramall Lane trip.
With a wand of a left foot, Shaqiri can perhaps provide something that is a little bit different to Mane. His delivery into the box and ability to score different types of goals have made him a useful squad player for Klopp.
He needs to do more though.
A door has been flung wide open for the player with 80 caps for his country and it’s now down to Shaqiri to grasp it with both hands.