Sadio Mane's 2 Goals Lead Liverpool to Eliminate Bayern Munich in UCL

Sadio Mane scored twice to help send Liverpool into the last eight of the UEFA Champions League after eliminating Bayern Munich 3-1 on aggregate on Wednesday night.

Mane opened the scoring, before Joel Matip turned a Serge Gnabry cross into his own net for Bayern's equaliser. Second-half headers from Virgil van Dijk and Mane added two more crucial away goals and ended the tie at the Allianz Arena, following a goalless draw at Anfield in the first leg.

It means last season's beaten finalists will be in the draw along with three other Premier League sides, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, for Friday's draw in Nyon.

Sadio Mane Has Replaced Passenger Mo Salah as Liverpool's Biggest Threat

This time last season, Sadio Mane was merely a bit-player to Salah's star turn. If anything, the former Southampton man was likely considered the weak link in a Salah-led front three where Firmino was also pulling his weight.

Fast forward 12 months and Mane, a player guilty of streaky form throughout his career, has turned the corner. He's done more than that; he's also overtaken misfiring Salah as Liverpool's biggest threat.

The latter, who has now scored one in his last seven in all competitions, is fast becoming a passenger compared to his prolific teammate:

Mane underlined his burgeoning status as the Reds forward opponents should fear the most when he put the visitors in front in style after 26 minutes in Munich:

The slickly taken goal offered proof of a player brimming with confidence. Increased swagger, along with a subtle tactical switch, have helped Mane hit a purple patch at a key moment in the season.

Manager Jurgen Klopp's superb decision to deploy the Senegal international centrally more often has worked wonders. It's helped Mane gain greater composure when presented with chances because more have been coming his way.

The 26-year-old has taken the added ruthless streak back to the left wing and is now proving the man Klopp can count on for goals no matter where he plays. He showed as much by ghosting off the left to head in Salah's cross six minutes from time and seal a memorable result.

Status as the main man for a team is usually defined by what a player does against the best on the biggest stage. Mane's goal against Bayern ensured his run of delivering in the prestige competition on the continent remains unbroken:

Liverpool would have a strike partnership superior to any Champions League rival if Salahhadn't gone so far off the boil.

Niko Kovac Too Cautious for Bayern's Attacking Talent

Niko Kovac's words ahead of the second leg summed up why the Croatian is the wrong manager for this Bayern squad:

Preaching caution ahead of a game his side had to win struck a curious note. It spoke to risk-averse tactics Kovac favours.

Those tactics are stymying the attacking talent at the 47-year-old's disposal. It's a problem doubly tough to accept given the forward-thinking lineup chosen to face Liverpool.

James Rodriguez and Thiago Alcantara potentially offered an abundance of flair from midfield. Yet this creative duo were hamstrung by being asked to sit deep and keep a narrow shape.

While it worked to deny Liverpool time in possession, the defensive ploy did nothing to allow two skilled attackers to express themselves. Similarly, wingers Gnabry and Franck Ribery stayed too far off Robert Lewandowski, leaving the centre-forward isolated.

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

Die Roten could have helped their wide men by flooding the flanks. However, full-backs Rafinha and David Alaba, two talented and industrious athletes, stayed deep as part of a flat back four instead of raiding forward.

Liverpool's threat on the counter is well known and likely feared across the continent. Even so, Bayern were on home soil with a star-studded squad capable of pushing the Reds' danger men onto the back foot.

Sadly, Kovac kept a needlessly tight grip on the leash. He may chart a safe passage to another Bundesliga title, but Kovac won't deliver bigger success for a team set to be defined by rising stars such as 23-year-old Gnabry and Kingsley Coman, 22.

Bayern need a more progressive boss.

What's Next?

Liverpool travel to Fulham on Sunday as they bid to go above City, who are in FA Cup action, in the race for the domestic title. Bayern have similar concerns when they host Mainz on Sunday, one day after nearest rivals Borussia Dortmund are at Hoffenheim.