<div>Such is the impact Sadio Mane has made on Liverpool that the 24-year-old is an automatic pick to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday while experienced international team-mates scrap it out to play alongside him.<br /><br />With the 24-year-old Senegalese on the right flank, Liverpool look a potent attacking force but without him they offer a much paler threat and were uninspiring in his absence in last week’s 2-0 defeat at promoted Burnley. <br /><br />Juergen Klopp’s side return to north London on Saturday after the fit-again Mane inspired their 5-0 League Cup win over Burton Albion on Tuesday. One particular moment of sorcery, when he jinked past a bewildered full back to set up Divock Origi’s opener, showed why he is inked into the teamsheet.<br /><br />The last Liverpool signing to make anything like that immediate impact was Luis Suarez, who hit the ground running, and scoring, in 2011. The Uruguayan formed a deadly partnership with Daniel Sturridge, but the English striker is no longer a guaranteed starter and Klopp must probably select one from Sturridge, Roberto Firmino and Origi — all of whom scored against Burton — as Mane’s partner at White Hart Lane.<br /><br />With Philippe Coutinho awaits a fitness test after straining his hamstring, Klopp is juggling formations as well as personnel in search of the line-up to bury Liverpool’s reputation as the league’s most inconsistent performers, brilliant one week and maddening the next.<br /><br />That charge could never be levelled against a Jose Mourinho side and the Portuguese takes Manchester United to Hull City with both teams having won their opening two ties.<br /><br />Even Hull’s most loyal supporters would not have predicted such a start, many fearing early humiliation after a turbulent summer in which their manager Steve Bruce left and Mike Phelan took over in a caretaker capacity.<br /><br />But Phelan learned how not to panic in his five years as United assistant manager under Alex Ferguson and a win against his former club would probably seal him a permanent deal as a takeover by a group of Chinese investors appears to be nearing completion.</div>
<div>Such is the impact Sadio Mane has made on Liverpool that the 24-year-old is an automatic pick to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday while experienced international team-mates scrap it out to play alongside him.<br /><br />With the 24-year-old Senegalese on the right flank, Liverpool look a potent attacking force but without him they offer a much paler threat and were uninspiring in his absence in last week’s 2-0 defeat at promoted Burnley. <br /><br />Juergen Klopp’s side return to north London on Saturday after the fit-again Mane inspired their 5-0 League Cup win over Burton Albion on Tuesday. One particular moment of sorcery, when he jinked past a bewildered full back to set up Divock Origi’s opener, showed why he is inked into the teamsheet.<br /><br />The last Liverpool signing to make anything like that immediate impact was Luis Suarez, who hit the ground running, and scoring, in 2011. The Uruguayan formed a deadly partnership with Daniel Sturridge, but the English striker is no longer a guaranteed starter and Klopp must probably select one from Sturridge, Roberto Firmino and Origi — all of whom scored against Burton — as Mane’s partner at White Hart Lane.<br /><br />With Philippe Coutinho awaits a fitness test after straining his hamstring, Klopp is juggling formations as well as personnel in search of the line-up to bury Liverpool’s reputation as the league’s most inconsistent performers, brilliant one week and maddening the next.<br /><br />That charge could never be levelled against a Jose Mourinho side and the Portuguese takes Manchester United to Hull City with both teams having won their opening two ties.<br /><br />Even Hull’s most loyal supporters would not have predicted such a start, many fearing early humiliation after a turbulent summer in which their manager Steve Bruce left and Mike Phelan took over in a caretaker capacity.<br /><br />But Phelan learned how not to panic in his five years as United assistant manager under Alex Ferguson and a win against his former club would probably seal him a permanent deal as a takeover by a group of Chinese investors appears to be nearing completion.</div>