Sadio Mane is the game changer that Klopp was looking for.

When Sadio Mane signed with Liverpool for 30 + million pounds Liveprpool fans had a right to be concerned. after all he had been good, but not great when he played for Southhampton. Many had considered him to be a flash in the pan. A player that was flashy, but not spectacular. Certainly not one that would become a star at Liverpool. Yet here we are with Sadio Mane blossoming into a key cog in the Liverpool Machine. Without Mane, Liverpool have looked lost. The youngster, has the potential to become the next great Red. 

Of course it is still early in his tenure at Anfield and the 30 + millions spent on Mane may still be too high. Yet, he has shown that he can be special. In his 3 games, he has scored a goal and averaged a match rating of 7.44. Those numbers do not show how much the 24 year old has contributed. He has offered pace and aggression, something that is dearly needed in Jurgen Klopp's system. His partnership with Firmino and Coutinho has been magnificent and should have yielded more goals. Mane has been a creative force. Just look at his goal against Arsenal. The way he managed to cut inside between multiple defenders and put the ball into a spot in the net where no one could get to was beautiful. That one play illustrated what there is to love about Mane: his explosive star potential. 

Sadio Mane has proven already to be the key cog in this Liverpool machine. He was after all the Liverpool player of the month in August. Without Mane this team lacks a creative force outside of Firmino and Coutinho. Take a look at the match against Burnley. Yes, Liverpool controlled the possession(Burnley only had 18%) and had more shots, but still the creativity was lacking. The decision making and attacking prowess that had led to the 4-3 win against Arsenal was missing. That was because Mane had gotten hurt in the training prior to the game. Liverpool missed not only his pace, but his decision making. His ability to draw in defenders was sorely missed. It might be a stretch, but Mane has become the most important player for Liverpool this season.

Now I am not saying that Mane has already proven to be worth the transfer fee. In fact he still has much to prove. He has to show that he is more than just a flash in the pan. That was a concern when he came over from Southhampton, that Mane was just one dimensional. He needs to prove as the season continues that he can be more than pace. Mane needs to stay healthy. He already was  hurt in training and suffered a scare in the recent World Cup qualifying matches. It's time for Mane to prove that he can put it all together and put together a complete season.