Rush says Mane's health was put at risk after he was knocked out cold

Liverpool legend Ian Rush believes Sadio Mane's health was put at risk and new concussion rules need to be implemented after the Senegal striker stayed on the pitch after being knocked out cold this week. 

The Reds forward clashed with Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, who was shown a red card for the collision, in the 53rd minute of the AFCON last-16 tie. 

Mane was cleared to continue despite struggling to get up off the ground and scored in the 63rd minute. Yet he collapsed after celebrating and was finally substituted seven minutes later. 

'It was disappointing to see Sadio Mane's health put at risk,' Gambling.com Football Ambassador Rush said. 

'In this day and age, you have to stop anyone from continuing when there's a serious head injury and take them off the field even if there's the slightest doubt about their wellbeing.

'I remember in my playing days I once got a boot to the head in the process of scoring a goal and although I knew something wasn't quite right, I finished the game. But during the game and after full-time, I had to keep asking my team-mates what the score was. 

'It turned out I was concussed and had to spend the night in hospital to get myself right, so I can relate to what happened to Mane. But with advances in science and knowledge of head injuries today, there really should be no excuse for that to be happening in 2022.

'The safety of the player has to come first, above all else. Mane should have been taken off directly after the collision, not five or 10 minutes later. Knowing Mane, he wouldn't have wanted to come off, but from a medical point of view it would have been the safest option.

'It just goes to show you that we still have some way to go in the fight to change attitudes towards head