Thursday 15 February 2018 23:31, UK
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane believes his season is back on track after scoring his first hat-trick for the club in the 5-0 win over Porto in the Champions League.
The Senegal international has endured a roller-coaster campaign and admits his sending off in September's 5-0 defeat to Manchester City had a negative impact on him.
Following his three-match suspension, Mane sustained a hamstring injury and looked short of confidence for several weeks.
Asked whether the red card had affected him he said: "Yeah, it was not my wish but it happened. It was tough on me but it is part of football and can happen. I never doubted how I could help the team and I never stopped working hard every day in training.
"I always tried to remain balanced, even when it was not working, because it is my job and I have to do it. I don't know how to describe it but it can happen to every single player and in my mind I was relaxed that it will change."
Defender Dejan Lovren insists there is no reason why Liverpool cannot now win the Champions League.
"Why not? Of course. Yes, if we are right and we do our job like we did and everyone defends well," he said.
"It is good when they don't talk about us. Maybe people would consider them to be the favourites - even better.
"We are the underdogs I would say. I love that when people think that about us."
On the manner of victory, he added: "It was serious football and we showed we can manage the game from the first until the last minute.
"I think we learned from our mistakes. When you are 2-0, 3-0 up you think it is over but it is not and you still have a lot to play.
"We have so much quality so we can beat everyone if we are on our top level - as simple as that."
