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Cape Town - Liverpool forward Sadio Mane says he is ready to feature in Wednesday night's Super Cup clash with Chelsea, having enjoyed a brief break following his Africa Cup of Nations exertions.
Mane has had little, if any rest following last season's mammoth efforts, after another intense summer playing for Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Jurgen Klopp now has to decide whether to start him against the Blues.
It is a dilemma for Klopp, but not for Mane, who is in no doubt that he is ready to take to the pitch in Istanbul.
Asked about his fitness, the forward said: "Yes, I think I am ready. Time is scarce. For sure, I have been playing for a long time.
"I haven't had holidays for seven years of over 20 days, I am used to it. I am ready. I am here now so let's do it."
Meanwhile, Adrian could scarcely ask for a bigger stage on which to make his first Liverpool start, but the experienced goalkeeper has been backed to step up to the plate.
Eyebrows were raised last week when the 32-year-old joined the Reds on a free transfer, with the former West Ham goalkeeper replacing Simon Mignolet as back-up to Alisson Becker.
Adrian has had precious little time to settle into his new surroundings, though, as Alisson sustained a calf complaint against Norwich in Friday's Premier League opener.
The Spaniard produced a solid display after his 39th-minute introduction and is now set to make his first start against Chelsea in Istanbul, where Virgil van Dijk backed his new team-mate to impress.
"Adrian has been in for his second week," the Netherlands captain said. "Since then, we have been working day in, day out.
"For him, it is good for him that he is playing straight away. It is not the situation though that he would hope for, that he would come in after Alisson gets injured.
"He is experienced enough to go out there and show his qualities. He has plenty of qualities. He played so many years in the Premier League and you can already see in training how good he can be.
"He needs our support as we defend together. He needs us and we need him as well. He will definitely do the job."
Andy Lonergan is also part of the 23-man squad, having signed a short-term contract after Alisson's injury, while Dejan Lovren, who could reportedly soon be joining Roma, misses out on the Super Cup through illness.
