Liverpool have suffered one of their biggest blows of the season as the Reds forward Sadio Mané is set to be sidelined for the next six weeks with a hamstring injury.

The 25-year-old was substituted in the 89th minute of a 2-0 win over Cape Verde on Saturday.

Mané was recently assessed by the club’s medical staff and the results of the forward's scan have confirmed Liverpool’s biggest fears.

He is set to miss Premier League clashes with title rivals Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs and Chelsea as well as crucial Champions League fixtures against Maribor.

The Senegal international was yesterday deservedly named on the shortlist for the 2017 Ballon d’Or and will now be absent from Saturday's game against Liverpool’s oldest and greatest rivals Manchester United.

His absence will leave a great soreness in the hearts of all Liverpool fans as well as manager Jurgen Klopp who is looking to get back to winning ways on the weekend as well as ensure Liverpool’s qualification to the Champions League knockout stage.

The former Southampton man has been nothing short of an icon across Merseyside since his £30 million move with a breathtaking debut season that saw the forward sweep the board at the club’s end of season awards back in May and has also scored three goals in five league appearances so far this campaign.

Stunning start to the season hindered by constant setbacks for Reds winger

Sadio Mané made a blistering start to the season on the opening day at Vicarage Road, with his side trailing 1-0 to Marco Silva’s Watford with an uninspiring and lacklustre performance the Senegal forward grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck to equalize with a superb solo goal and get his season off to the perfect start.

His powers didn’t stop there as the following week the Liverpool ace scored a late winner at home to Crystal Palace to secure the sides first victory of the season and another goal against title rivals Arsenal set the Reds on their way to a 4-0 humiliation for Arsene Wegner’s dejected Gunners.

Mané’s performances wouldn’t go unnoticed as he scooped the Premier player of the month for August to set up what was nearly a perfect month for Liverpool’s key talisman. However, the following day on receiving the award Mané was involved in one of the season’s most controversial moments to date.

An away clash with bitter title rivals Manchester City saw the PFA Player of the Month sent off in the first half after a head clash with Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson which broke huge controversy and speculation as to whether it was a deserved Red card. Mané’s absence was titanic in the outcome of the match as Klopp’s side were humbled 5-0 by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and the forward’s pain was amplified after receiving a three-match suspension.

Fast forward to October 9th and Mané was finally recognised for his irreplaceable service to the Reds after being nominated for the most prestigious individual award in Football after making the 30-man shortlist for the 2017 Ballon d’Or. However, Mané’s season has been nothing short of hit and miss and the Senegal’s luck was once again short-lived after receiving the news that would shatter across Merseyside.

Liverpool's adjustment to life without Sadio Mané will begin Saturday midday as the Red's host a fixture that has seen one of England's most burning rivalries as Liverpool welcome Manchester United to a lunchtime kick-off at Anfield.

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About the author
Joshua Kerr
Third-year Sports Journalism student at Staffordshire University, contributing to Vavel UK since April 2017.