Jurgen Klopp wanted to pay homage to the other attributes besides finishing that make Sadio Mane such a special player on the day he hit 100 goals for the Reds.
Mane opened the scoring on Saturday when Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 3-0 at Anfield, his close range shot just before half-time is momentous for more than one reason.
Not only did he set a new Premier League record with this ninth consecutive scoring appearance against the same opposition, but it led him to 100 goals for the club in 224 games.
He is the 18th player to reach the finish line for Liverpool and the 10th fastest, fastest of the likes of Kenny Dalglish (241 games), Ian St John (270) and Kevin Keegan (318).
Mane’s online results understandably attracted much of the attention after the game, although Klopp wanted to highlight other aspects of the Senegalese striker’s game.
100 – Sadio Mané has scored his 100th goal for Liverpool in all competitions, 10 of which have come against Crystal Palace, his highest against a single opponent for the Reds. Centurion. pic.twitter.com/gJ4x7qNl34
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 18, 2021
For example, since the beginning of 2019-20, only six forwards have been involved in more duels than Mane (1,010), while only Richarlison (82) has won more tackles than him (66).
Roberto Firmino (66) and Mohamed Salah (61) are the only strikers to register more than 58 ball possession chances from Mane in the last third, while he is fifth for most of the dribbles attempted (304) in the same period.
In short, Mane boasts an extraordinary work ethic and Klopp felt the need to make sure that side of his game was appreciated as well.
Speaking to reporters, Klopp said: “People forget around these 100 goals that Sadio also worked incredibly hard, defended high, pressed high and counter-pressed.
“One hundred goals is just a number next to all the others, but I’m really happy for him, it’s an important milestone in this glorious history of this club [because] only 18 players could score 100 goals.
“Today the players are not normally that long in clubs, so I am really happy to have been able to work with him for so long during these five years.”