Micah Richards has named Sadio Mane as his pick for the PFA Player of the Year award ahead of Liverpool teammate Mo Salah.
The Reds pair have been sensational as the Merseyside outfit remain in contention for the quadruple. They've won 11 of their last 12 Premier League games as they attempt to overhaul champions Manchester City. Their frontline has been electric in that period with both Salah and Mane excelling.
The Egyptian enjoyed a sensational start to the season and is on course to record his most prolific year to date. His 30 goals have seen him draw huge praise, but Richards has been equally as impressed by Mane, who he's tipped to come out on top against his peers when it comes to the individual accolades.
Salah was named the Player of the Year back in 2018 as he enjoyed a sensational debut season - and both he and the Senegal star will be among the favourites to claim the award this year. Richards though believes Mane's sensational rise at Anfield coupled with his willingness to often take a back seat, sets him apart.
He wrote in the Daily Mail : "What a signing he has been. Manchester United and Tottenham both had a go at signing him from Southampton, where he spent a couple of seasons, but Jurgen Klopp knew what he wanted and how his team could play. The belief was that Mane could become something special.
"He’s definitely done that. Salah, understandably, gets the headlines and I suspect he will be many people’s idea of the season’s top performer and is understandably favourite to get the award, for what would be his second time, but Mane shades it, as far as I am concerned, when you look at the bigger picture.
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"What I love about Mane, too, is the fact he seems so relaxed. Playing alongside someone like Mo – who I absolutely love – could be a challenge, given he gets talked about so much and attracts such focus. Someone with an ego, producing the numbers Mane does, could ask: 'what about me?'"
Mane endured a difficult campaign last term as Liverpool failed to defend their title amid a backlog of injuries, especially in defence. He scored 16 times and admitted he sought help as he tried to understand why his performance levels had dropped off.
This season though he is back to his best, scoring three times in his last two outings against both Manchester clubs. All in all he's netted on 19 occasions and seems to have risen to the increased competition that now exists in the Liverpool forward ranks.
