He scored in the 92nd minute. So when would you have taken him off?
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Before when he was missing almost everything. With maybe 15-20 minutes to go.
So he wouldn’t have scored that confidence boosting goal and would have been left frustrated and disappointed?
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He needs as much time on the pitch as possible. It’s not like there are many other options and I don’t think he’s far off getting back to something like his usual form.
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Nope, maybe someone else would score us the third or maybe two with 11v10 would’ve been enough anyway. The whole team was already frustrated enough, together with him. They don’t have to play every single second of every single game. If they have a problem with it, let them moan for a few minutes (like Thiago did last night, also a little bit weird) and we move on. Use Bobby last season as a beautiful example, who dropped out of the team a little bit more and his body language was still the same. 15 minutes here and there if nothing is going their way really shouldn’t cause such catastrophy. I’m not saying do it each time, but personally if you ask me, he wouldn’t have finished that game yesterday.
I think we are reading too much into Sadio’s performance from the other night. The guy was on 98 goals for the club in PL, wasn’t he?
The way we were carving goal scoring chances one after another, he might have thought “I can definitely score a couple today”. And he is definitely that kind of guy who sees an opportunity and tries to grab it with both hands.
I think that 100 goals landmark eventually got over him. Unable to score the way he would have done normally, he went borderline into desperation to score 2.
He probably forgot the Palace game is at home. Maybe someone should have reminded him to preserve the landmark goal for a celebration with the home crowd. In which case the others might have been able to score one or two themselves 
I am sure he will get his 100th against Palace early on in the first half. And then normal service shall resume, we will again see the Sadio we always love to.
98 total goals for us; 76 of which have been in the Premier League.
He’ll score a brace against AC Milan
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Fuck me that’s shit isn’t it.
Mane out
Thanks for helping Helpy Helperton!
Consider " in PL" in my post as silent. 
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Mane didn’t need to come off, he was getting involved in a big chance every 5 minutes. He’s obviously lacking confidence in front of goal but at no point did he let his head drop, he kept finding great positions over and over again.
Despite his poor finishing his record over the last 12 games or so is pretty solid. If we can play him into something like his best form we’ll have a much better chance at winning some silverware, it’s that simple.
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I really don’t think it’s to do with confidence. He’s still doing all the things he does (as you say, keeps getting to the right places etc). I think it’s more about sharpness. He had a great game the other night, but for the wayward finishing.
Watch out for that brace against AC Milan! It’s coming.
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Thanks for sharing this. Nice read. He’ll come good, not much to worry about IMO.
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Agreed, in fact if I recall correctly, in one of the past few seasons (I can’t remember if it was 2018-19 or 2019-20), he and Salah seemed to be taking turns to be having quiet spells such that at least one of them would be in hot form and we would be getting the goals anyway.
I’m quietly confident that he will recover just when we need him to.
My mantra with Mane is that even when he’s having a “shit game” he is still giving defenders kittens. It might look like nothing he is doing is coming off, but invariably he has those defenders stretched to their very limit. That creates gaps downstream that other players can take advantage of.
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Agreed. When someone’s creating 10 odd chances in a game, you just cannot leave him alone. It might not be visible, but the indirect impact he has cannot be ignored. Sadly, goals (and misses) and assists becomes tangible and most important parameter being used to judge players performances.
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Plus…
He never slacks in his defensive duties. He may struggle scoring/creating goals, but he is 100% in tracking back and supporting the backline.
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Sadio Mane: “I am lucky to score so many goals against Palace. Most important thing was the three points. Right place, right time. I am lucky. And happy. Thank you to all the fans, club and staff. Without them I am nothing.”
“I would love to play against Crystal Palace every single weekend!”
“In my head I am always thinking it is possible. I will keep trying and trying and trying.”
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Poacher goal to mark his 100.
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