Liverpool Attacker Offers Positive Injury Update Ahead Of Leicester Clash

Sadio Mane has been speaking to Liverpoolfc.com today and confirmed that he’s fit and available for selection to face Leicester City this weekend following an injury scare while on international duty.

Mane started in Senegal’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Namibia on Saturday night but sparked fears he had suffered an injury after limping out of the match in the 66th minute.

However, the 24-year-old has revealed that while he did receive a kick to his knee during the first half it wasn’t serious and with his country already qualified for the AFCON finals in January, their manager decided to give Mane a breather and have a closer look at some other members of his squad.

Mane has now confirmed to Liverpoolfc.com that he’s fit and available to take on the champions when they arrive at Anfield on Saturday evening.

“I’m fit. It’s true I got a little kick in the back of the knee, but it was nothing special – it happened in the first half and I played for the rest of the game.

“I’d spoke with the coach and because we have new players, he wanted to try [them] and change me, so the substitution was not due to injury.

“The most important thing is I am here today at Melwood, I am happy to be fit and will get myself ready for Leicester in the rest of the week.”

Understandably, Jurgen Klopp was anxious to speak with Mane after hearing of his withdrawal from the game – in which Senegal won 2-0 – and the attacker has revealed that he spoke with the Reds boss to assure him he hadn’t picked up any sort of injury.

Mane continued:

“I spoke to the coach [Klopp] and told him everything was OK, I am 100 per cent fit and there was nothing specific [to report].

“After the game, I went to the airport to take a flight. When I reached Paris the following morning, I had many messages on my phone with people and my family asking what happened because they saw in the press I had an injury. I said to them, ‘no, no, I am OK!’.”

It will come as a huge relief to Liverpool that Mane hasn’t suffered an injury as he’s been excellent since joining the club in a big-money move from Southampton earlier this summer.

The attacker scored a superb goal during the thrilling 4-3 win over Arsenal on the opening weekend of the season while he also put in another Man of the Match performance during a 5-0 League Cup win over Burton Albion.