SADIO MANE is heading back to Liverpool earlier than expected after his Senegal team crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday night.
Mane was in tears after missing the crucial fifth penalty in the shootout against Cameroon, who advanced to the semi-finals.
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Liverpool have been without their summer signing since January 2, and it has all gone wrong for Jurgen Klopp since then.
The Reds have won just once in that time – an FA Cup replay at Plymouth – and lost three times in the space of a week at Anfield.
After the 3-2 defeat by Swansea in the Premier League last Saturday, Klopp’s men were sent crashing out of two cup competitions in four days.
First they failed to turn around their EFL Cup semi-final clash with Southampton midweek, losing 1-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate, before Saturday's shocking FA Cup fourth round loss against Wolves.
And with Chelsea coming to town on Tuesday night, Mane's latest exploits in Gabon ease Liverpool fans who are desperate to see him return.
Burkina Faso earlier became the first team to reach the semi-finals after two late goals saw them part Tunisia.
Aristide Bance came off the bench to hit a low shot into the bottom corner from a free kick in the 81st minute and break the deadlock at Stade de l'Amitie.
Prejuce Nakoulma sprinted away on a counter-attack four minutes later, avoided a desperate tackle from Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi, and side-footed into an empty net to seal the game.
Burkina Faso will play Egypt or Morocco in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
Senegal, meanwhile, will await the winners of Ghana or Congo.
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