What Sadio Mane's Red Card means for Liverpool

The red card has caused debate on both sides. Some say it is an obvious red after Sadio Mane basically kicked Ederson, the Manchester City keeper, square in the face. On the other side, defenders of Mane point to lack of intent and the fact that Mane was going after a 50-50 ball that he had every right to go after. Which is true. And, Mane did not realize the keeper was out of the box making a play on the ball himself. His focus was purely on the ball and he was making an aggressive football play. All of that is true. Still, he had his boot high in a dangerous position and that can not be debated. It was unfortunate, but to me it was justified. The effect the red card had on the game against Manchester City was blatantly obvious. But what does it mean moving forward?

Because it was a straight red, Sadio Mane will face a 3-game ban on domestic matches. The key word is domestic. So yes, Sadio Mane is available for Liverpool's next game. That is because their next game is not a domestic contest but rather a Champions League clash vs Sevilla.

Still, the loss of Mane for 3-games will hurt Liverpool. The front three of Mane, Firmino, and Salah have been terrorizing defenses in the early going with their blistering pace. When he is serving the suspension, how will Liverpool line up?

First, lets look at the upcoming games. Domestically, Mane will miss Premier League games against Burnley and Leicester City. He will also miss a second game against Leicester City when the two face-off in a League Cup match. He will be available for two Champions League games in September, this week against Sevilla and the September 26th matchup with Spartak Moscow.

Who will gain the most from his absence? The obvious answer is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who could slot in at the wing position and Liverpool could field the same formation. While Oxlade-Chamberlain does not have pace equal to Mane, his is more than qualified to fill-in and provide plenty of attacking options for Klopp.

If not Oxlade-Chamberlain, who else may fill the role? The next two most likely to benefit would be Philippe Coutinho and Ben Woodburn. Coutinho has returned to training with the club after the international break. His disappointment in not moving on to Barcelona has been well documented, but it seems he is accepting his fate and will be a Red at least through the year. Klopp left Coutinho out of the squad vs City identifying fitness, but Coutinho did feature twice for Brazil in World Cup Qualifiers. Normally in an attacking midfield position, Coutinho could play in a wing slot. Or, Klopp could shift things and play him more centrally.

The other option is the young Woodburn who has been exciting Liverpool supporters every time he takes the pitch. Yes, he is just a teenager. But a few games early in the campaign may be an ideal situation and Klopp notoriously is willing to give youngsters opportunities. Woodburn is best playing in a wide attacking position, so he could slot right into Mane's position in the same formation.

The absence of Sadio Mane will certainly hurt Liverpool. No manager wants to lose one of their best players, especially one who has been in such great form. But, this is also an opportunity. For Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coutinho, and Ben Woodburn, they will certainly be wanting to have the opportunity given to them. Who do you think should see time in Mane's absence?

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