2017 Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon

Special plane to rush Mane for Chelsea tie

FRANCEVILLE – Liverpool hope to rush Senegal’s Sadio Mane back from the Africa Cup of Nations by a specially arranged charter plane so he will be available for tomorrow’s Premier League match against leaders Chelsea.

The forward was flying back from Gabon to Senegal’s capital Dakar with the rest of the squad yesterday, tournament organisers told Reuters, and from there he will take a charter to Liverpool.

Liverpool will then have to assess the player’s fitness before the crunch game at Anfield tomorrow.

Mane’s participation in the tournament in Gabon ended on Saturday when he failed to score his penalty in the post-match shootout after their quarterfinal tie against Cameroon had ended goalless.

Mane and his Senegal teammates were heavily fancied, but were unable to break down their opponents after two hours of football, with the Liverpool player squandering several chances.

A distraught Mane was carried off the pitch after collapsing in tears as Cameroon won the shootout 5-4.

Meanwhile, Antonio Conte praised the depth of his Chelsea squad after they eased into the last 16 of the FA Cup with a 4-0 win over Brentford as he told the Premier League leaders to prepare for tougher challenges ahead.

Branislav Ivanovic, in what could be his final appearance for the Blues if a reported move away from Stamford Bridge takes place in the closing days of the January transfer window, scored one goal and created another in a 30-minute substitute appearance.

By the time of Ivanovic’s 69thminute goal, Chelsea were already 2-0 up thanks to early first-half efforts from Willian and Pedro.

Conte rang the changes ahead of tomorrow’s match at Liverpool, and the Chelsea manager said: “To win away at Liverpool is never easy. ”–

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