Not assisting each other? Salah-Mane issue is still bubbling at Liverpool

That their main issue this season was brought to light in a thumping 3-0 win demonstrates how well things are going for Liverpool, but there was no hiding Sadio Mane's fury at Mo Salah for failing to present him with a simple tap-in at Burnley.

That was back in August, and the Reds have maintained their 100 per cent winning record as we enter the October international break. But the fact remains that neither Salah nor Mane have assisted each other yet in the Premier League this season.

The Senegalese forward played down his angry reaction at Turf Moor when asked about it last month. 'I feel a little bit frustrated because it is football and you want to score to score more goals,' he admitted, adding: 'We are really, really good friends.'

No one is denying that, but could their individual hunger for goals be working to the detriment of Liverpool's overall attacking output?

There are several statistics of concern.

As well not setting each other up this season, despite scoring nine goals between them, the fact that Salah hasn't even created a chance for Mane is a worrying stat. Mane has created four chances for Salah, the Egyptian failing to convert any of them.

The pair finished level on 22 goals in a three-way tie with Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the Golden Boot last season, and both surely have one eye on the claiming the prize for their own this campaign.

Last season, Mane again created more chances for Salah than the other way round - 20 to 17 - but Mane took just one of those chance, while Salah took three. Given those ratios, it a surprise that neither have assisted each other yet, with only four chances created overall. It points to both players adopting a more greedy approach.

That is not to say it is not working just fine for Liverpool, who sit eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. But it may explain why they have scored eight goals less than Manchester City.

Mane actually has a better shot conversion rate than Salah this season - 26.32 per cent to 15.38 - and in the last two-and-a-bit seasons - 21.02 to 18.89 - since they started playing together. But Salah clearly has a lot more shots than his team-mate.

However, there is little doubt that Salah has been more important to Liverpool's success over that time period, his goal involvement percentage of 41 to Mane's 24 demonstrating that. Ironically, given the incident at Burnley, Salah's far superior assist rate helps him in this department, with 21 to Mane's nine. He just doesn't seem to assist Mane much.

The gap is narrowing between the two though, with Mane involved in 30 per cent of Liverpool's goals this season compared to Salah in 35. If they start setting each other up more often, then those figures will only get higher.

It'll certainly be an interesting sub-plot to keep an eye on as Liverpool look to maintain their lead over City at the top and deliver a first title for 30 years