SADIO Mane’s red- hot form has won glowing praise from Saints’ greatest entertainer of them all - Matt Le Tissier.

The Senegal international goes into today’s game against Leicester having bagged four goals in his last three league and cup games and also provided more Premier League assists this season than he did in the whole of 2014/15.

The 23-year-old’s assists alone can only be bettered by two Premier players – Manchester City’s David Silva on six and Norwich’s Wes Hoolahan on five. Mane only recorded three league assists in 30 games last term, but has bettered that after just eight games.

“Sadio is the one who gets you on the edge of your seat,” said Le Tissier.

“He’s so unpredictable and defenders find it difficult to keep up with someone with that much pace.

“He puts defenders on the back foot straight away. “ Le Tissier has noticed a clear improvement in Mane’s game from last season, his first one in England after an £11m switch from Austrians Red Bull Salzburg..

“This season he does seem to have found something a little bit extra, which is terrific,” he said.

“I think there was a bit of talk about him maybe being a bit unsettled by interest in the summer, which actually wasn’t there, but he’s knuckled down well.”

 

Le Tissier also picked out nine-goal Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic for praise as Saints ahead of today’s St Mary’s showdown.

“The form of the front players has probably impressed me the most,” he said. “Mane, Pelle and Tadic have all been pretty decent and looking a real threat going forward.

“I love the way Pelle holds the ball up and he’s a handful for anyone.”