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The former Anfield forward is a huge fan of the current Reds strikeforce, and with Salah and Mane’s deals both expiring at the end of next season, he’s impressed with how contract talk doesn’t seem to affect them
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Jurgen Klopp provides team news ahead of Liverpool’s clash with FC Porto
Emile Heskey is a big fan of how the “phenomenal” Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are refusing to let talk around their futures affect their performances for Liverpool.
Salah and Mane were both on the scoresheet in Saturday’s 4-0 trouncing of Arsenal at Anfield, with the Egyptian taking his goal tally to a stunning 16 in 16 games this season, and Mane netting nine times in his 16 appearances.
As it stands both players – both of whom will turn 30 next year – are out of contract at Anfield at the end of next season, but former Reds forward Heskey is in awe of how that doesn’t seem to faze them.
“Salah does his talking on the pitch, he doesn’t need to say anything off it. Let other people sort that,” the former England international told Mirror Sport.
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“He’s fantastic, he doesn’t let anyone distract him, and to put up the numbers that he does… he’s got to be so strong and so single-minded to be doing that while people are talking about his contract, or if’s he’s leaving. He just keeps doing his thing.”
Heskey adds that Salah seems to have found the perfect club to suit his talents in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
“He seems so comfortable at the club so I don’t see why he would move,” he said.
“Liverpool is his home now, the fans love him, although when you’re playing the football that he’s playing then I don’t think there’s going to be any fan anywhere in the world that’ll hate him!
“If he was still at Chelsea they’d love him too, but thankfully he’s at Liverpool!
“Things like the contract, the limelight and the goals tally don’t faze him, and that’s fantastic to see.”
The fact that Mane’s deal also runs out in the summer of 2023 has gone under the radar somewhat due to the focus on Salah, but Heskey is in no doubt about his important to the Reds.
“When you’ve got someone who puts up the numbers Salah puts up then everyone is going to be talking about him, even though Mane puts up some great numbers too,” he continued.
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“And the funny thing is that we’re not even talking about forwards here, we’re talking about wingers. It’s phenomenal! They’ve got everything.
“His work-rate is phenomenal, and that’s what Liverpool fans love about him. He never gives up.
“He’s always fighting, chasing back, tackling, then trying to get forward and putting his head in where it hurts, then his foot in where it hurts. That’s why the fans love him.
“There are times in football where things are not going to go great for you, but as long as you’re willing to work hard, to put your foot in, put your head in, then fans will back you all day long.”
Diogo Jota has no such contract issues having only joined the Reds from Wolves a little over a year ago, and Heskey is also impressed with how the Portuguese has adapted to the side having joined at a time when Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino were the established front three.
“It must have been daunting when you’re coming into such a dynamic trio, especially with Firmino making it tick as he gives something so different to the others,” said Heskey.
“But he’s come in and he’s still made a difference.
“He must be a very, very confident lad!
“His movement is clever. He’ll make little darting runs in and around the box, and he always wants to get his shot off. He’s totally different to the others.”
England football legend Emile Heskey worked with LG Electronics to launch its Laptop Library programme, initially rolling out at four schools across London to support young people, giving them free access to LG gram Laptops to help improve their digital education experience.