Why you should avoid Mo Salah and back Sadio Mane in first-goalscorer betting

Mohamed Salah has developed into the Premier League's most prolific marksman, winning the Golden Boot in 2018 and sharing the award with fellow African aces Sadio Mane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019, but the Egyptian could arguably be taking a walk in the first-goalscorer market due to his poor recent return.

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Incredibly, you have to go back to January 12 for the last time he scored first in a Premier League match - Salah bagged from the spot in a 1-0 win at Brighton - and has been costly to follow despite collecting against Norwich on the opening night of this season due to Grant Hanley's early own goal.

While Salah, who has never scored against Old Trafford opponents Manchester United, struggles to break down Premier League opponents in the opening exchanges, his opposite winger Mane has been the magic man for first goalscorer backers throughout 2019.

A £10 bet on Mane in every league game this year would have returned a profit of £292.50 with the Senegalese star notching first on nine occasions, plus being credited with the opener at Burnley after an own goal broke the deadlock.

Mane was on target first when the Merseysiders beat United 3-1 at Anfield in December, but goes off a bigger price at 9-2 compared to 4-1 Salah while Roberto Firmino, described by Racing Post columnist Jason McAteer as Liverpool's Lionel Messi, is available at 5-1.

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