Main man: Liverpool looks limp without invaluable Mane

If there was any question who Liverpool's most important player is, the debate was settled Saturday at Anfield.

Liverpool hosted Burnley, and despite Philippe Coutinho's much-anticipated return to Jurgen Klopp's starting XI, Sadio Mane's absence defined the Reds' efforts.

Banned for a straight red card stemming from a karate kick to Manchester City 'keeper Ederson's mug, the Senegalese star served the first match of a three-game ban against the Clarets.

Sans Sadio, Daniel Sturridge started up top with Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah flanking the oft-injured England international.

As a result, Liverpool was not at its best with the 1-1 stalemate marking a second successive drab draw in the span of a few days, and there are three reasons why Klopp's lot struggle without Mane.

Firmino out of position: With Sturridge playing as centre-forward, Firmino is forced wide, and despite the Brazilian's versatile skill set, he is best suited to play as a No. 9. Firmino's link-up play with Salah and Mane provides Liverpool's greatest threat in attack where the former Hoffenheim striker occupies the attention of opposing centre-backs, leaving the full-backs to deal with 1-versus-1 situations against wingers adept at making runs behind the backline. As a result, Liverpool's attacks against Burnley were predictable and one-dimensional.

Sturridge's shortcomings: Hard not to feel for Sturridge after a slew of injuries have seen his spot in the starting XI become an untenable reality, though on Saturday against the Clarets, the 28-year-old showed why his skill set is in constant conflict with Klopp's Gegenpressing ethos. A traditional striker who on his day is one of the Premier League's best finishers, Sturridge lacks the pace to both press and get in behind defenders, and that easy to foretell approach allowed Sean Dyche's rear-guards to focus exclusively on what was in front of them and not pesky timed runs off their shoulders that often result in Liverpool goals.

A dearth of dynamism: It's easy to characterise Mane as a speed-demon who benefits from keeping full-backs on their heels, but there's so much more to the 48-time capped international's arsenal of talents. He is both Liverpool's most dynamic dribbler and its least-calculable player, and the Reds are always a threat in attack because of Mane. During the second half against Burnley, Liverpool ran out of ideas, and it showed, as Klopp's lot relied heavily on crossing the ball into the area, a daft plan against a back-line littered with towering defenders who won 14 aerial duels to Liverpool's eight.

With Mane set to serve the last two matches of his ban for a League Cup visit at Leicester City followed by a league clash at the King Power four days later, Klopp would be wise to slot Firmino into a central role and give either Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain or Dominic Solanke a shot out wide to avoid the underwhelming displays against Sevilla and Burnley.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)