Blow for Liverpool as injured Mane forced off against Wolves

Liverpool have been dealt a potential injury blow after Sadio Mane was forced off in the first half of their Premier League clash against Wolves.

The Senegal star pulled up after running to meet a Mohamed Salah backheel around 32 minutes into the game.

Mane immediately signalled to the Liverpool bench that he needed to come off and he was replaced soon after by recent arrival Takumi Minamino, making his first appearance in the Premier League.

It was unclear what the problem was with Mane, although it appeared to be a hamstring issue as he made his way down the tunnel.

Any long-term problem for Africa's Player of the Year would be a blow to Jurgen Klopp, the forward having scored 11 and assisted a further six goals in the league this season.

The injury comes at a busy time for the Anfield outfit. Three days after the match against Wolves, Klopp's team travel to Shrewsbury for their FA Cup fourth round tie and then return to Premier League action with an away game against West Ham on January 29. Then, on February 1, they are back at Anfield to take on Southampton.

Eager to improve on last season's Champions League success, Mane said this week that he is ready to sacrifice for Liverpool and he is confident his side can grow stronger.

"Until the team is successful and I'm also successful, for me I think it's necessary to sacrifice myself to give everything possible for the team, and the team will give me [that] back for sure – every single player," he said.

"For sure we achieved things and we want to achieve more and big things with this club. We want to win trophies – Premier League, Champions League again, which won't be easy, we all know that. 

"But what you have seen in these last few years, everything is possible and we can do it and do it again. We just need to be hungry in a good way and push ourselves until the end."

The Reds were 1-0 up at the time of the injury, Jordan Henderson having broken the deadlock just eight minutes into the game with a header from Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner.

Liverpool sat 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League heading into the midweek clash and remain unbeaten in the competition this season.