Rio Ferdinand warns Liverpool FC will be ‘real force’ if 25-year-old finds form

Liverpool FC forward Sadio Mane Photo: Sadio Mane / Instagram

Rio Ferdinand believes Liverpool FC will be a real force if Sadio Mane can replicate Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah’s form.

The Senegal international made a brilliant start to the 2017-18 season with three goals in their opening three Premier League games.

However, the 24-year-old’s sending off in Manchester City’s 5-0 loss to Liverpool FC at the Etihad Stadium back in September.

Mane suffered a hamstring problem to further curtail his excellent start to the season as Salah’s incredible form overshadowed the Senegalese forward.

But the former Southampton forward was impressive in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 clash in Portugal on Wednesday night.

Mane scored a hat-trick in Liverpool FC’s 5-0 win against Porto on a rain-drenched pitch to leave Jurgen Klopp’s side on the brink of a quarter-final spot.

Former Manchester United defender Ferdinand admits opponents will find it very difficult to defend against Mane.

“He is always somebody you’d worry about [as a defender] because he’s got that pace and is very direct,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.

“He’s unpredictable in the way he plays. If he does catch form, adding to Salah and what Firmino is doing, they are a real force.”

Liverpool FC signed Mane in a £30m deal from Southampton in a £30m deal in the 2016 summer transfer window.

The Reds finished in fourth place in the Premier League table last term to secure a return to the Champions League.

The Merseyside outfit haven’t won the Champions League crown since 2005.

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