At times, the Liverpool duo have seemed at each other’s throats and reports of rifts have often reared their head – but everything appears rosy between Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at the moment.
The Reds attackers are certainly best friends on the pitch, with many opposition defences struggling to deal with the chemistry the pair boast.
Villarreal found out the hard way on Wednesday night as Salah and Mane linked up yet again for the Reds second goal of the game.
Liverpool welcomed a resilient Yellow Submarine to Anfield but they eventually found a way through, firstly through a fortunate own goal when Jordan Henderson’s cross deflected off of Pervis Estupinan and over the head of shot-stopper Geronimo Rulli.
There was nothing lucky about the second, which came just just two minutes later when Salah timed his intricate through ball to perfection before Mane managed to poke his right-footed finish home beyond the onrushing goalkeeper. The goal was subject to a VAR check but officials determined Mane was onside when his partner played the pass.
The strike actually made Champions League history, as it marked the seventh time the pair have combined for a goal in European club football’s most elite competition. This tally is the joint-highest of any pair playing for an English side alongside Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs as well as Roberto Firmino and Salah again.
It is a testament to Salah’s ability both in front of goal but also at finding his teammates and providing others with goals that he features on the list twice. The Egyptian international has at times been accused of being selfish, with Reds legend Graeme Souness recently dubbing him the “greediest player he’s ever seen.”
Salah has also provided Mane with seven assists in the Champions League – a figure that has not been beaten by any player since 2017/18, though Neymar has made the same amount for Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe.
