Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Sadio Mane is suffering from a dead leg after their 1-0 win over Ajax in the UEFA Champions League.
The Reds started off their group-stage campaign with a victory following Nicolas Tagliafico’s own goal in the first half of the game.
Meanwhile, Mane was replaced in the 60th minute of the clash and was immediately given ice to put on his right leg as he sat on Liverpool’s bench.
But after Liverpool’s win, Klopp said that the issue is ‘not a problem’ for the Senegalese forward.
‘Sadio has still since a few days a dead leg,’ said the Liverpool head coach. ‘In that area, it’s still painful but it’s not a problem. When he doesn’t play he puts ice on it.’
Klopp also decided to remove Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah along with Mane on the hour mark against Ajax. And the Liverpool boss heaped praises on the efforts of the three substitutes Diogo Jota, Xherdan Shaqiri and Minamino.
‘The game became pretty wild, we had to defend really altogether and we defend in a 4-5-1 which means both wingers have to be really involved in defending,’ said Klopp.
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‘And then in the moment there were incredibly big spaces for the counter attack. And we thought it’d make sense to bring their fresh legs because all three who came on are in really good shape, fresh, in a tricky, difficult game on a difficult pitch.
‘That helps a lot. And you saw, they all really helped a lot. ‘Takumi, in both directions, incredible between the lines, and Diogo is a machine, he can punish opponents in a one-on-one situation.
‘We had these moments but we didn’t finish it off unfortunately but it’s completely fine.’
