Mane steps out of Salah's shadow

Sadio Mane has grown used to playing second fiddle to Mohamed Salah in the two seasons since the latter joined the Senegalese at Liverpool.

However, the fact Jurgen Klopp's men top the Premier League in their quest to end a 29-year wait to win the title and face Porto in the first leg of a Champions League quarterfinal at Anfield on Tuesday, is largely thanks to Mane.

As Salah's goals dried up in an eight-game drought prior to Friday's 3-1 win at Southampton, Mane assumed the mantle as chief goal getter with 11 in his last 13 Liverpool appearances taking his tally for the season to 20.

That run included a double away to Bayern Munich last month that eased the five-time European champions past the German giants and eyeing another shot at Champions League glory.

His first goal in particular at the Allianz Arena was a demonstration in the 26-year-old's pace, skill and calmness in front of goal.

Mane controlled a raking long pass from Virgil van Dijk, rounded Manuel Neuer and then dinked the ball into an unguarded net.

"I'm going to have to watch back 500 times," admitted Klopp after the game. "It's astounding what he did."

Mane scored 10 Champions League goals in all last season, including in the final.

While Salah now carries himself with a swagger from the star status he has earned over the past two years, Mane's humble nature means he often remains under the radar for a player of his quality.

In September he was filmed helping to clean the toilets at his local mosque just hours after scoring in a vital away win at Leicester.