Sadio Mane: We must keep believing and fighting
Sadio Mane has urged Liverpool to again showcase their character and attitude after earning a pre-Merseyside derby boost in the form of an impressive win over RB Leipzig.
The Reds return to domestic action on Saturday when they will seek to end a run of three consecutive Premier League defeats by beating Everton at Anfield.
The meeting with Carlo Ancelotti's side arrives four days on from a commanding Champions League victory against Leipzig, with that 2-0 success putting Mane and his teammates on course for the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite club competition.
Ahead of the clash with the Blues, Liverpool’s No.10 - who scored in Budapest - spoke with Premier League Productions. Read on for a summary of the interview…
Inside Training: Go behind the scenes of Reds' derby preparations
On the mood inside the Reds’ dressing room…
I think as a professional footballer it is not easy at all [to deal with a poor run of results] - especially when in the last years you are used to winning nearly every single game! We have more experience now and we know how you have to deal with these kind of things: you just have to stick together and also try to be as positive as you can. I think it’s not easy for sure, which is normal, but we are experienced players, we know how to deal with this type of situation and of course now it’s better because we won the last game so that’s another motivation for us to keep believing. It’s football, it can happen [and] we can change it. What to do is try to show our character and win games and for sure, things will change.
On Liverpool’s recent Premier League form…
For sure, from this you can see how difficult it is for us this season and like I said, it is part of football. From the beginning we didn’t expect it because [of our] self-confidence and with the team we have, with the quality of the team. Then it’s happened differently, which you have to deal with and now to change it you have to show your maturity and your character and attitude as well. We have to put it all together now to change this situation, which is really complicated. Like I said, now we will do everything possible to fight in these last games left.
Last time v Everton: Mane and Salah on target in derby draw
On whether he is expecting a ‘physical’ game on Saturday…
Yeah, for sure. I think in the Premier League, not only against Everton, but every single game is [physical] and if you want to beat a team, you have to win everything in the game: all your challenges, all your battles, everything, if you want to win the game. And that is what we are going to try, especially with playing at home.
On whether he has a goal target for the season and his form so far in 2020-21…
Well, I think there are 14 or 15 games left this season, so compared to last season, we will see. So far I have seven [Premier League] goals and for sure, as a player every single season you have a target. My target is to score more goals for the team and as well to score more than I did last season. So far this season it has been a very, very complicated season for myself, I can say, because the stats can say it. But it’s part of football, it can happen, [and] we have to deal with it as a team because we can for sure do better than we are doing right now. We will do everything possible because it’s the only thing to do right now and let’s see: we have another 14 games to go, we will try everything possible to be closer maybe.
