Sadio Mane tests positive for coronavirus and will miss Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa
Senegalese forward has joined Thiago Alcantara in self-isolating from the rest of the squad and could be a doubt for the Merseyside derby after the international break
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Your support makes all the difference.Sadio Mane will miss this weekend’s Premier League trip to Aston Villa after testing positive for coronavirus, joining Thiago Alcantara in having to enter self-isolation.
Liverpool confirmed the news on Friday night after the Senegal international decided to make the news public, having been absent from training ahead of the weekend.
The reigning Premier League champions said that Mane has been suffering from “minor symptoms” and has been kept away from the rest of the squad, who are preparing for Sunday’s trip to Villa Park.
A club statement read: "Sadio Mane has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines.
"The forward, who started and scored in Monday's 3-1 victory over Arsenal, has displayed minor symptoms of the virus but feels in good health overall.
"However, like with Thiago Alcantara, Liverpool Football Club are - and will continue to - follow all protocols relating to Covid-19 and Mane will self-isolate for the required period of time."
The 28-year-old did not feature in Thursday’s Carabao Cup defeat against Arsenal, although he did start Monday’s Premier League victory over the same side in which he helped Jurgen Klopp’s side fight back from a goal behind, and it leaves the German manager with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino to select his front-three attack from.
Klopp will be sweating on the pair’s availability for Liverpool’s next encounter after the upcoming international break, with the Reds due to face Everton in the first Merseyside derby of the season on 17 October.
Both Thiago and Mane have enough time to complete their period of isolation before the derby, although they will have to post two negative test results before being allowed to return to the squad - although they will not have long to prove their fitness to Klopp.
His enforced isolation will also affect his international commitments after Mane was named in Senegal's squad for their upcoming friendlies against Morocco and Mauritania.
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