Liverpool winger Sadio Mane has opened up about the criticism surrounding the club’s apparent lack of ambition.
Speaking to the club in an interview, Sadio Mane has offered his thoughts on the criticism arrowed towards Liverpool ahead of the new season, insisting that his team is ready to turn things around in the new season.
It has been a difficult year for the Liverpool winger, who endured a dismal 2020/21 campaign that saw him lose his goalscoring touch. After finishing the title-winning 2019/20 season with 18 goals, his tally was reduced to just 11. His lack of productivity coincided with an injury crisis that ultimately saw the Reds fail to retain the title last term.
Their horrid season was followed by a tame transfer window, with Liverpool signing only a new player in the form of Ibrahima Konate. The center-back was brought in from RB Leipzig to supplement the ailing defensive unit. But Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to sign a new forward or midfielder, causing a furor on social media over the club’s lack of investments.
However, Sadio Mane believes his team is ready to fight for the title once again and has reminded fans of the recent success they have had. Liverpool Echo has published his quotes from the interview, with the winger stating: “In football, things move on very quickly and people forget the past. It’s a shame, but that’s how it is.”
“People aren’t always talking about what we have won up to today, and there’s no excuse for relaxing in pursuits of our goals. Of course, the experiences of last season have given all of us even more motivation, and all of us are really fired up to have a terrific season this time around. We were all very keen to get the season underway.”, he added.
Since joining Liverpool in 2016, Mane has scored 96 goals for the club in 221 competitive appearances. In the interview, he did shed light on his scoring numbers last season, insisting that he seeks to do much better this time around.
“I want to score goals, and set up team-mates, even to score 30 goals. Why not? The more the better as far as I’m concerned and my ambition for the team is to win trophies. Everybody is hungry for that.”, said the Senegal international.
“I was so disappointed with last season, and passionately so, as I thought I could have done more. Whereas I might have been scoring between 18 and 22 goals a season, then on that occasion it was no longer the case so, of course, I was going to be disappointed.”, he added.
Mane has featured in every minute of Liverpool’s Premier League campaign in the new season, scoring one goal in three appearances. He is expected to be involved in the action when once again when the Reds travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United after the international break.
