Man aman ' s ▁role ▁as ▁the ▁play making ▁l yn ch pin ▁in ▁the ▁side ▁meant ▁that ▁scoring ▁statistics ▁alone ▁would ▁not ▁measure ▁his ▁contributions , ▁because ▁even ▁in ▁games ▁where ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁get ▁a ▁goal ▁or ▁an ▁assist , ▁he ▁would ▁often ▁have ▁started ▁the ▁move ▁or ▁delivered ▁the ▁key ▁pass ▁or ▁two ▁in ▁the ▁lead ▁up . ▁The ▁few ▁goals ▁that ▁Mc Man aman ▁did ▁score ▁also ▁t ended ▁to ▁be ▁spect ac ular ▁or ▁memor able ▁– ▁most ▁not ably ▁an ▁injury ▁time ▁solo ▁goal ▁against ▁C elt ic ▁in ▁the ▁UEFA ▁Cup , ▁when ▁Mc Man aman ▁scored ▁after ▁a ▁ 7 5 - yard ▁d rib ble . ▁Other ▁out standing ▁goals ▁during ▁his ▁Liverpool ▁career ▁included ▁goals ▁against ▁A ston ▁Villa , ▁New castle ▁United ▁and ▁scoring ▁the ▁winner ▁in ▁a ▁match ▁against ▁Ar sen al ▁with ▁a ▁st unning ▁vol ley , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁won ▁a ▁P FA ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Month ▁award ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁Cont ract ▁wr angles ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Liverpool , ▁having ▁been ▁unable ▁to ▁agree ▁a ▁new ▁contract ▁with ▁Mc Man aman ▁and ▁fear ing ▁that ▁the ▁player ▁might ▁leave ▁on ▁a ▁Bos man ▁free ▁transfer , ▁finally ▁accepted ▁a ▁£ 1 2   mill ion ▁bid ▁for ▁the ▁player ▁from ▁Barcelona ; ▁Barcelona ▁had ▁previously ▁tried ▁( and ▁failed ) ▁to ▁sign ▁Mc Man aman ▁twice ▁before ▁( after ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁FA