How can Liverpool replace Sadio Mane for Manchester United clash at Anfield?

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Sadio Mané’s absence will be keenly felt when Liverpool meet historic rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime.

Jurgen Klopp and others at the club would have been looking forward to hitting the reset button after a difficult start to the season. Now, an immediate rival will visit Merseyside happy to face a side without their most effective player.

Since Mané’s debut, Liverpool have averaged 2.2 Premier League goals with him and just 1.6 goals without. That, in black and white, is why he is so important to them.

His hamstring injury, suffered while on international duty with Senegal at the weekend, means Klopp must re-think his attacking strategy. What are his options?

The likeliest and most straight-forward workaround would see Philippe Coutinho move out from midfield and into the forward line, operating off the left-hand side.

Now fully reintegrated into Klopp’s squad after his back injury and summer dalliance with Barcelona, Coutinho's professionalism has been faultless and he has generally impressed from a deeper, central midfield role.

Some of Coutinho’s best form since arriving at Anfield came early last season, however, when he was cutting in from the left flank with Roberto Firmino central and Mané wide-right.

With Mohamed Salah on board and taking up Mané's former position, Liverpool can recreate that dynamic of last year. They may even tighten up in the middle of the park as a result.

On the other hand, Klopp may be reluctant to lose the Brazilian’s ability to thread through balls in behind defences from deep, especially against fellow top sides who could offer up more space.

Klopp’s other option, then, is to keep Coutinho central and tinker with his forward line.

As big a blow as Mané’s injury is, Liverpool are used to having to do without him. Some of their best performances under Klopp came at the end of last season, while the Senegal international was out with a knee injury.

Last May’s 4-0 win at West Ham United was one such performance and one that reminded everyone of Daniel Sturridge’s match-winning ability, with the England international starting up front at the London Stadium.

Sturridge found the opener that day after a delightful through ball from Coutinho, who from a deeper role went on to notch twice in an impressive all-round display.

Replicating this would, however, mean shifting Roberto Firmino out to an unfamiliar position on the left or dropping him altogether, as happened at Newcastle. The Brazilian did not appear comfortable when deployed wide in the frustrating 1-1 draw with Burnley at home.

Brought in for £35m but yet to make a Premier League start, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would be grateful for an extended spell in the side to get his Anfield career going.

Klopp is unlikely to hand out starting berths unless they are deserved and the former Arsenal winger has made little impression with his cameos so far. Yet Oxlade-Chamberlain does have talent and his manager is the one who must harness it.

Saturday may have come too soon, but at some point during Mané’s absence, Liverpool’s newest recruit should be tested in a position which has generally been thought to be his best.

Liverpool’s shallow squad depth was highlighted at the start of the season as one reason why Klopp could struggle to match last season’s top-four finish.

Already, after one injury at right-back, there is an over-reliance of promising but inexperienced youngsters like Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The loss of Mané may mean the average age of Liverpool’s starting line-up falls further, with Dominic Solanke handed an opportunity to impress from the off.

Solanke enjoyed a good pre-season and has looked threatening in short spurts, while Woodburn has shown an ability to affect games while on international duty with Wales.

To drop either in against United would, again, be a risk, but Klopp will have been prepared for this eventuality when assessing the options within his squad back in August.