Liverpool are 'definitely missing Mane' according to pundit - do Liverpool miss Mane?

Liverpool are apparently 'missing' Sadio Mane according to one pundit following their second consecutive draw at the start of the PL season.

The Reds stumbled to another draw this time with Crystal Palace, with Wilfried Zaha's opener being cancelled out by Luis Diaz.

It also saw star signing Darwin Nunez sent off for violent conduct in a game Liverpool almost won and almost lost.

Now football figures and fans are debating whether or not the team misses the recently departed Mane, but is that really true?

Comments on Mane

Speaking in his column on the BBC Sport website, Garth Crooks revealed his team of the week and included Luis Diaz whom he praised.

However, the topic of Diaz led him onto the topic of Mane - a player he believes is currently sorely missed by Liverpool:

"It was always going to take something a bit special to cancel out Palace's goal, but Diaz provided just that." He said in his team of the week column.

"Whether he can replace the potency, or match the goals, that Sadio Mane produced for Liverpool over the years remains to be seen. But Liverpool are definitely missing Mane."

Is Garth Crooks right?

Currently, Liverpool are experiencing both an injury crisis and a new-look frontline - both of those factors combined have seen Liverpool start the season not quite as sharply as they have done in previous years.

The club has relied so heavily on their potent front three that included Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah for so long that they now have to get used to an incredibly different style of front three with Diaz and Nunez the new additions.

Liverpool miss Mane because of his familiarity with the team that could also be relied on, but now the combination of injuries coupled with Nunez being a completely different profile of centre-forward has seen them just stutter at the start of this season.

Once Liverpool get their injured players back into the side and Nunez has had enough game time to settle into this team, then the talk won't be about Mane - it'll be about this new exciting front three that's here to stay.