Soccer-Liverpool to rush Mane back from Nations Cup

FRANCEVILLE, Gabon, Jan 29 ( Reuters) - Liverpool hope to rush Senegal's Sadio Mane back from the African Nations Cup by a specially arranged charter plane so he will be available for Tuesday'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 on Sunday, tournament organisers told Reuters, and from there will take a charter to Liverpool.

Senegal's team are due in Dakar on Sunday night.

Liverpool will then have to assess the player's fitness before the crunch game at Anfield on Tuesday.

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 quarter-final tie against Cameroon had ended goalless.

Mane and his Senegal team mates 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.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Port Gentil; Editing by Toby Davis)