Liverpool 2-0 Sheff Utd: 5 things we learned – Nobody could deal with Virgil van Dijk

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool battles for possession with Enda Stevens of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool battles for possession with Enda Stevens of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /
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Liverpool Sheffield United Sadio Mane
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – JANUARY 02: Sadio Mane of Liverpool takes the ball past Dean Henderson of Sheffield United and goes on to score his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Sheffield United at Anfield on January 02, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /

Salah hates Mane? Myth dispelled

You’d better call mythbusters because Klopp’s stars are about as ready to kick back any lingering fake news as they’ve ever been.

Remember that funny myth that Salah and Mane didn’t get along? The second goal was created by a perfect pass from Mane to Salah, an almost-as-good return ball to Mane who saw his shot half saved by Henderson before he collected the loose ball and slotted into the roof of the net.

The goal took less than 10 seconds to go from box to box as Robertson found Mane, Mane carried forward and found Salah, Salah gave the return and Mane finished it off. Beautiful.

It also meant that Mane became the 14th Liverpool player to score on every day of the week, which is a brilliant stat but not as good as our two best forwards combining to score a thing of beauty.

They may fall out again or have words on the pitch when one tries to score rather than slip the other through – but they’re both selfish strikers and it’s going to happen. Competition within the squad is healthy and it pushes elite athletes to do better and better things, while keeping within the team ethos.

When it comes to the crunch, Salah and Mane will do what’s best for the collective and that includes setting one up or sacrificing a goal so the other can score.