WATFORD, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 12, 2017: Liverpool's Sadio Mane celebrates scoring the first equalising goal during the FA Premier League match between Watford and Liverpool at Vicarage Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Sadio Mane named Premier League’s Player of the Month for August

Liverpool winger Sadio Mane has been rewarded for his excellent form throughout August, named the Premier League‘s Player of the Month.

Mane overcame a long-term knee injury to return to action for the Reds midway through pre-season, and has hit the ground running.

The 24-year-old scored three goals in three outings in the English top flight last month, finding the back of the net against Watford, Crystal Palace and Arsenal.

These included a stunning solo effort in the 3-3 draw away to the Hornets, and a 73rd-minute winner in the 1-0 victory over the Palace at Anfield.

Mane was shortlisted alongside fellow Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, as well as Chelsea‘s Alvaro Morata, Huddersfield Town’s Jonas Lossl and Man United trio Romelu Lukaku, Phil Jones and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Remarkably, this is the first time the Senegalese has won the Premier League‘s monthly award, despite an excellent campaign that saw him score 13 and assist six in 27 games last time out.

The last time a Liverpool player was named Player of the Month came when Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard shared the award in March of 2014.

Given Mane’s excellent start to the campaign, however, it is unlikely this will be the final recognition the Reds receive in 2017/18.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 27, 2017: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the third goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

That Salah was also nominated is a testament to the Egyptian’s impact alongside Mane, having scored twice and assisted twice in three appearances in the Premier League.

This saw the winger average a direct goal contribution every 51.3 minutes, underlining an excellent start to life on Merseyside.

Salah’s arrival from AS Roma has provided Jurgen Klopp with the perfect foil for Mane, with the pair operating on opposite flanks, and to devastating effect.

The new No. 11 is, incredibly, even quicker than Mane, and their pace on the counter-attack was instrumental in the 4-0 victory over Arsenal.

He is yet to fully find his feet, however, and his fellow African has arguably performed with more influence overall.

But the prospect of the duo continuing to develop alongside each other, flanking the excellent Roberto Firmino and with Philippe Coutinho feeding them, is hugely promising.

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