Mane double as Liverpool win but lose out on title

Liverpool’s Sadio Mane celebrates scoring their first goal. Photo: Reuters

LONDON: Liverpool’s 29-year wait for a league title will continue after they had to settle for runners-up spot behind Manchester City despite Sadio Mane scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the Premier League season.

The victory for Juergen Klopp’s side became irrelevant to the title outcome as City won 4-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion to ensure their second straight league crown.

Liverpool, beaten once in the Premier League this season and through to the Champions League final, finished one point behind City with 97, a record total for a team coming runners-up.

Mane put Liverpool ahead in the 17th minute, meeting a low cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold and sweeping home from close range.

For 21 minutes, the Anfield crowd knew that Liverpool were temporarily in the top spot but as news of City’s progress at Brighton filtered through Liverpool’s intensity faded.

Liverpool survived a couple of scares after the break but eventually made sure of the win when Mane added his second in the 81st minute, again assisted by Alexander-Arnold whose deep cross was nodded home by the Senegalese at the back post.