More than four years after Sadio Mane left Liverpool, Florian Wirtz has matched one of the Senegal international’s less celebrated achievements for the club.
Wirtz created nine chances from open play during Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Brentford on Saturday, equalling the club record for a Premier League match since the statistic began to be tracked. The previous player to reach that figure was Mane, who did so against Burnley on 21 January 2021.
Signed from Bayer Leverkusen for 134 million euros, Wirtz also provided the assist for Victor Munoz at Brentford. The performance underlined the German’s growing influence after a difficult start to life in England.
Mane’s record-setting display came in very different circumstances. Liverpool lost 1-0 to Burnley at Anfield, ending the Reds’ run of 68 consecutive home league matches without defeat.
Despite the result, Mane was a constant attacking threat. He created nine chances, attempted three shots and completed all four of his dribbles. His team-mates were unable to turn the opportunities he produced into goals.
The statistic highlights a side of Mane’s Liverpool career that was sometimes overshadowed by his goalscoring. The former Metz player scored 120 Premier League goals for the club, while his pace, direct running and finishing were central to the celebrated attacking partnership he formed with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
However, Mane’s ability to create space and supply those around him was also a major part of Jurgen Klopp’s system. Several years after working with him, Trent Alexander-Arnold even compared the Senegalese forward with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mane won the Champions League, the Premier League and both domestic cups during his time at Liverpool, securing a significant place in the club’s recent history.
Wirtz has now joined him at the top of one of Liverpool’s attacking records. It took almost five years, and the arrival of a Germany international signed for a club-record-level fee, for another Liverpool player to equal the mark.
