It has been a funny old season at Liverpool.

Coming into it off the back of their first league title in three decades, Jurgen Klopp's side were riding high on a wave of joy and optimism.

Whack in the signings of Diogo Jota and Spanish maestro Thiago, and Liverpool were looking very much on track to defend their hard-earned title.

Despite the season-ending injury to Virgil van Dijk, the Reds were top of the pops in December, with a stonking-great 7-0 win over Crystal Palace seemingly signalling their intent to stay there.

A turbulent 2021

However, as 2020 ticked over into 2021, it all started to fall apart.

Liverpool's form went off a cliff, they forgot how to score and some of their normally prolific superstars donned their invisibility cloaks and became entirely anonymous.

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They plunged down the table, crashed out of Europe, and now find themselves in an intense battle just to secure a place in the top four.

Sadio Mane's poor form 

It has been a thoroughly forgettable season for a number reasons, but for Sadio Mane in particular, it has been particularly turbulent.

The winger, usually so deadly in front of goal, has been painfully off the pace for large parts of this campaign.

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Normally an accomplished finisher - he has broken the 20-goal barrier in his previous three seasons - Mane has spurned chance after valuable chance for the Reds, leading to frustration among fans.

His touch has been off, his passing lacking the killer touch and his wider influence on a game alarmingly redundant.

Sadio Mane searches for answers

In fact, it seems that even Mane himself has had to do a lot of soul searching as he desperately looks for ways to regain his killer instinct.

So confused was he by a dip in form that has seen him net just three times in his last 13 appearances, Mane even admitted to undergoing medical testing to 'check his body'.

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"If you ask me what is wrong I will struggle to give you an answer. Personally I don't know," Mane told Canal Plus.

"This is the worst season of my career. I have to admit it. I have always tried to be positive, whether things are going well or badly. I question myself all the time.

"I even underwent a test to take a look at my body. Am I eating the right foods, or has everything changed? But they checked the test results, and everything is fine.

(Credit: the Football Terrace)

"I need to understand that in life there are ups and downs.

"I will keep on working hard - and perhaps in time this situation will pass."

You can't help but feel that the old adage of 'Class is permanent' will eventually shine through for Sadio.

He is too good a player to be off form for much longer and, having netted against Southampton at the weekend, perhaps there are finally signs of life once again.