‘As if my dog was controlling him on FIFA’: Fans roast Bayern ‘keeper Neuer after Liverpool opener

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer suffered a rush of blood to the head as he allowed Liverpool’s Sadio Mane to open the scoring in the team’s UEFA Champions League last-16 second-leg clash in Germany.

Normally seen as among the safest pairs of hands in the business, Neuer handed Liverpool the opener when he charged off his line in a misguided attempt to meet Mane on the edge of the box, only to be left stranded.

Controlling a beautifully weighted long ball from Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk, Mane found himself on the18-yard box but with his back to goal and the attentions of a Bayern defender to deal with.

But his task was made easier when Bayern skipper Neuer inexplicably vacated his goal and charged to meet Mane, only to be sold a dummy on the turn as the Senegalese forward then chipped into the net to put his team 1-0 on the night and on aggregate.

It was a smart piece of play from the in-form Mane, who struck his ninth goal in 10 games, but there were questions over Neuer taking his “sweeper-keeper” mantra to extremes in what was his 100th appearance for Bayern in the Champions League.

Social media was soon abuzz with posts and memes mocking the German keeper.

German national team, boss recently dumped Bayern trio Mats Hummels, Thomas Mueller and Jerome Boateng from the set-up, but some were wondering whether Neuer should be the one to go.

The Liverpool goal left Bayern needing to score at least two to progress to the last eight, but they were level shortly before half-time when Liverpool suffered their own defensive horror show when Joel Matip turned into his own net from a Serge Gnabry cross, meaning the teams went in level at the break at Allianz Arena.