Sadio Mane’s now 'more secure’ with his quality, says Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp

Sadio Mane’s impressive start to the season is a testament that he is ‘much more secure’ after discovering 'his level'.

The Senegal international has delivered match-winning displays and scored three goals in Liverpool’s opening two games against West Ham United and Crystal Palace.

While such level of quality is not alien to the former Southampton forward, unfortunate incidents have seen him fall back.

But Klopp believes Mane is now fully convinced of his abilities and can carry on with his current form.

“Sadio did start pretty well last year. He was in fantastic shape then came the City game and an unlucky situation [with the red card]. That was not good,” Klopp told club website.

“I think he had an injury then as well, a little one. Now he's much more secure that this is his level.

“The players surprise themselves sometimes. 'Wow, really? That's how good I am?' We all need to show our best and get used to it.

“Sadio is a very consistent player for us. His work rate is great. We have a very strange 4-5-1 formation with Sadio as a midfielder, Bobby [Firmino] being a midfielder more or less and Mo [Salah] being a striker, even though he plays in a little different position.

“We talk about the defensive work rate they put in and that's really important.

“Pre-season was not the longest [for Mane], three weeks after three weeks of holiday. I think the first game he and Mo played was [Manchester] City, right? That was after three or four days’ training.

“It's quality. We have to make sure we can show that every week. Who scores the goals is not too important but it was very important for us and very nice for Sadio that he could do it.”

Liverpool play Brighton & Hove Albion in Saturday’s English Premier League encounter, and will look up to Mane - and his partners Salah and Firmino - to produce the goods against Manchester United’s slayers.