The 2018/19 edition of the Premier League ended few days ago as Liverpool came astonishingly close to winning the title, getting narrowly beaten by Manchester City with just a point separating the two sides.
It was a record-breaking season for the Reds as they amassed the 3rd highest points tally in Premier League history and were still being unable to win the title.
One of the records, which largely went unnoticed, was the number of goals Liverpool players scored by using their heads.
Liverpool went on to score 19 headed goals in the Premier League, which was way more than any other team in the division.
And according to OptaJoe, who labeled the statistic as ‘crazy’, Liverpool’s record of scoring headed goals is only bettered by that of Wimbledon, who managed to score 22 headed goals back in the 1995-96 season.
19 – Only Wimbledon (22 in 1995-96) have ever scored more headed goals in a single Premier League campaign than Liverpool did in 2018-19. Crazy.
Arguably the best full-back pairing in the Premier League
A massive reason for all the headed goals Liverpool scored this season is the full-back duo of Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Arguably the best full-back pairing in the Premier League currently, both TAA and Robbo delivered pin-point crosses in the box with precision throughout the entirety of the season.
Manager Jurgen Klopp should also be commended on how the fullbacks have improved over the past 2 years. Andrew Robertson, who arrived from Hull City in 2017 for just 10 million euros, is now one of the best left-backs in the world, while home grown Trent Alexander- Arnold is well on his way on being a club legend just at the meager age of 20.
In Klopp’s system, the fullbacks are able to push high up the pitch, due to a defensive midfield cover. This allows them to fire crosses into the box, and with the likes of Firmino or Mane lurking in the penalty area, the crosses get converted a significant number of times.
Both Robertson and Alexander-Arnold have reached double digits in terms of assists, with them registering 13 and 15 assists in all competitions respectively.
Sadio Mane- Liverpool’s most complete forward
One of Liverpool’s key players, and a part of the famous front 3, Sadio Mane was crucial in Liverpool’s title charge and their quest for a 6th Champions League crown.
More importantly, he was clinical for the side during Salah’s rare goal drought. He finished the season with an incredible 22 goals and shared the Premier League Golden Boot award with Salah and Aubameyang.
So what makes Sadio Mane Liverpool’s, or even the Premier League’s most complete forward?
Of all the world class forwards that play in the Premier League, including Aguero, Kane and Aubameyang, Sadio Mane is the only player to have scored 5 goals with his right foot, left foot and head!
He has scored 6 goals via headers this season. No Liverpool player has managed more than him.
What’s next for Sadio Mane and Liverpool
Mane will hope to continue his excellent form for Liverpool when they face Tottenham in next month’s Champions League final. With his excellent dribbling skills and clinical finishing, he will definitely be a thorn in Tottenham’s defense.
