‘Brilliant. It’s absolutely brilliant’: BT Sport’s Michael Owen heaps praise on Sadio Mane for a ‘finish of the highest quality’ against Bayern Munich
- Sadio Mane put Liverpool ahead against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night
- Mane did exceptionally well to take the ball round, turn and then finish
- Michael Owen said at half-time Mane had scored a goal of the ‘highest quality’
Sadio Mane got Liverpool off to an excellent start against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night and Michael Owen, a former Anfield man himself, loved it.
Owen was in awe of how Mane had managed to control Virgil van Dijk’s long, searching ball forward before scoring.
To apply the finish, Mane had to turn Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and then dink the ball over the line.
Sadio Mane celebrates after putting Liverpool into the lead against Bayern Munich in Germany
Mane was able to turn goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and dink his finish into the Bayern goal
It was Mane’s 18th goal of the season for his club and Owen was full of praise.
‘Brilliant. It’s absolutely brilliant,’ Owen, appearing as a pundit on BT Sport, said.
He added: ‘Everything to do with this goal was… [brilliant] I know Van Dijk played a nice ball but it was a pretty simple ball but everything that was good about this goal was Mane. He pulls really wide to give himself as much space as possible to run in to.
‘Yes, the goalkeeper having a bit of a howler or a rush of blood, but Mane was aware to that and he knew to take the ball to one side of him and dink it over. But watch him keeping the width and keeping in as much space as possible. Just notice now, before the ball is played, he points to where he wants it.
It was Mane’s 18th goal of the season and he ran over to the Liverpool supporters to celebrate
‘When he actually sees the ball it’s right at the end, it’s literally the ball’s only three or four yards away from him when he actually sees the ball delivered to him first time. And let me tell you when the ball is coming over your shoulder like that, for you to just see and pick up the height of the ball and not only that, but to take a touch is perfect.’
Owen said it was made even more special by the fact that it contributed to Liverpool going ahead in the Champions League last-16 tie.
He added: ‘It’s a goal of the highest quality and even that (Mane’s turn) the awareness of what’s around and then a little coolness after all that to dink it over the line. It’s a finish of the highest quality.’