Liverpool Send Physio on International Duty to Monitor Recovering Sadio Mane

Liverpool have sent club physio Scott McAuley to Africa to accompany Sadio Mane over the international break, as the forward looks to help Senegal qualify for next summer's World Cup.

Mane provided two assists on his return to the Liverpool lineup in Saturday's 4-1 win at West Ham, having missed the previous five fixtures in all competitions, after returning from the last international break with a hamstring injury.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is desperate to avoid a similar issue this time around, and as a result club physio McAuley will travel with Mane for the conclusion of World Cup qualifying in Africa.

Unlike other African sides who only have one match to play over this international break, Senegal must play South Africa twice in the next few days after South Africa's 2-1 victory earlier in qualifying was annulled as a result of a lifetime ban imposed on match referee Joseph Lamptey by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

A win for Senegal in either match would secure qualification for Mane's side, and Klopp was reported earlier this week as saying that he hoped Senegal would release Mane early if they get the win they require in the first of those two meetings in South Africa on Friday.

While it is as yet unclear whether the Senegal Football Federation are happy to grant Klopp's wish in that regard, they are at least happy to let McAuley travel with Mane, due to the benefits to both club and country of having Mane fit and available.