Liverpool winger Sadio Mane is in contention to start for the European champions when they host Norwich City in the Premier League opener at Anfield on Friday night.

The Senegal ace has emerged as a shock contender to start in Jurgen Klopp's Champions League-winning team after Mane only returned to training on Monday following a lengthy campaign that ended in defeat for his international side in the African Cup of Nations final on July 19.

Mane and Senegal's progression to the AFCON final meant the Liverpool forward had effectively come close to a 12-month season last campaign and following only a two-week break for Mane it was unlikely he would feature against the Canaries under the lights at Anfield come Friday night.

Klopp: "He is an option to start"

Following a 26-goal tally last season, Mane returned to Melwood on August 5 and has since only had two days of fitness by himself before finally joining up with his teammates on Wednesday and it has emerged that he could line-up against Norwich in the Premier League's opening match of the 19/20 campaign.

Following his Thursday afternoon press conference, Klopp said: "He only had two weeks off so he didn’t lose a lot which is the good news and he looks fit.

"Monday, he came in at around 4pm after we had all left and he did his individual session.

"Yesterday (Wednesday), he was training with the rest of the team. He looks absolutely OK, so yes, he is an option to start, but we will see."

Keita ready to stamp his authority at Anfield

The German boss also delivered a fresh verdict on Naby Keita who hasn't featured in a competitive match for Liverpool since May 1, after he was stretchered off in the Red's 3-0 to Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

Keita recovered miraculously to return to international duty ahead of schedule featuring in the AFCON for Guinea only to be sent home after picking up another injury.

It was another devastating setback for the Red's 2018 summer signing, but, Keita would return to full-training earlier this summer and has impressed which was showcased in a second-half came against Manchester City in Sunday's Community Shield defeat on penalties.

Klopp has been impressed with the £52 million signing from RB Leipzig and is expecting a big second season from the 24-year-old after facing so many testing setbacks in his inaugural campaign at Anfield.

"Naby, as he was injured after AFCON, had ups and downs and he is building towards that 100 percent fitness.

"It is the same for Ox (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain), he had a fresh start and it's really important we have these boys in.

"It's a long season and we have to be ready for all the games. I was really happy with the influence and contribution of Adam (Lallana), Naby and Shaq (Xherdan Shaqiri) when they came in [against Manchester City] because they were injured, they have really shown we have different options.

"Naby looks completely different already and you could see he is much more settled with his body language, everything is different for him."