Huge blow: Liverpool suffer major setback before Leicester, Klopp will be devastated - opinion

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed a major blow before his side’s Premier League clash against Leicester City at Anfield on Thursday night.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against the Foxes, the Reds boss said: “Sadio no chance as he’s not even here, but Mo yes.

“Sadio flies out if it’s possible on Wednesday night, so will arrive here on Thursday but he is, of course, then not involved in the Leicester game.

“It means the world to him, it means the world to his people, it means the world to Senegal and we respect that a lot and we would never consider to have called back him from there or whatever – let them do what they do in the moment because they deserve it. They’ve had an incredibly intense time, so when he is back we will talk to him and we will see how we can use him.”

While Liverpool fans will no doubt be proud of Mane’s achievements of lifting the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal recently, they will surely be gutted to learn that the winger will not be available for their side’s crunch clash against Leicester later tonight.

Despite not being in his most devastating form for Klopp’s side – he managed just one goal in his last eight Premier League games before leaving for AFCON – there’s no questioning that he remains a key member of that formidable front three for the Reds.

The Merseyside club have coped well in both his and Mohamed Salah’s absence by picking up two impressive wins against Brentford and Crystal Palace respectively, but with the title race not over just yet – they remain nine points behind Manchester City but with a game in hand – they simply cannot afford any more slip-ups.

Being without someone of Mane’s quality and experience is a hammer blow for Liverpool