Sadio Mane has flourished since joining Bayern Munich in the summer as the Senegalese continues to enjoy being the main man.
Mane, 30, ended his six-year spell at Liverpool by sealing a £35m move to Munich and it took just 29 minutes to score his first Bundesliga goal.
The striker has scored five goals in his first seven appearances and hopes to keep that form in the Champions League.
Mane is set to become the fourth African player to score 25 goals in UEFA’s elite competition.
The Senegalese captain is just a historic milestone away and a goal in Bayern’s Group C opener against Inter Milan will put him alongside ex-Liverpool team-mate Didier Drogba (44) Mohamed Salah (36) and Samuel Eto’o (30). ).
Mane has already surpassed Chelsea icon Drogba’s record as the African with the most goals in the Champions League Round of 16.
And his rapid rise to European supremacy is all the more remarkable as his first UCL goal came as recently as November 2017.
In stark contrast, Liverpool have stumbled in their first games in his absence, save for a 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth.
A 0-0 draw with rivals Everton at the weekend has seen them collect just nine out of a possible 18 so far – already six behind leaders Arsenal.
Considering why Klopp’s side are off to a mixed start, Gabby Agbonlahor believes several factors are at play, including Mane’s exit.
“Something is missing on that side,” he told Jamie O’Hara on GameDay Phone In.
“Today [against Everton] is the kind of game where you rely on Mane to find some kind of shine and score a goal. Mane’s runs would open up more space for Salah.
“Salah doesn’t look like he wants to score and it’s not like Mo Salah. He has to go wide and find space.
“The midfield didn’t work. They played Fabinho as a goalkeeper and in front of him Elliott and Carvalho. It just didn’t work for me today.
“At the back Robertson was let go, Trent was taken off after 60 minutes. Something is wrong with this defense with Liverpool and they are losing too many points.
Offer of the day
Sky Bet – Bet €10 Get €30 Free Bets* – CLAIM HERE
New customers only. First single bet and e/w with odds of 1/1 or more. 3 betting chips of £10. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets valid only on football. Free bets cannot be withdrawn. No free bet expiration. Eligibility restrictions and other terms and conditions apply.
SEE ALL FREE BET OFFERS FOR NEW AND EXISTING CUSTOMERS HERE