A 5-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City was the start of a damaging period for manager Jurgen Klopp.
On the back of that defeat at The Etihad, when Mane was sent off, Liverpool failed to beat Sevilla and Burnley before exiting the Carabao Cup at the hands of Leicester in midweek.
But their Senegal superstar returns to action against Spartak Moscow on Tuesday night with a clear message that the doubters will have hurtful words rammed back down their throats.
Mane, 25, said: “I’m confident we can beat anyone in the Premier League and Europe.
“It is too early to say that we can win the Champions League for the sixth time but we are here to do our best and win trophies.”
Mane also leapt to the defence of a Liverpool rearguard who have taken the majority of the barbs in recent weeks.
“We still believe we have a good defence,” he said.
“The whole team have to take responsibility because if we score more goals than the opposition we win the game. We don’t have a problem in defence.”
The ex-Southampton flyer has excelled on Merseyside but still cannot believe the speed of life under tough taskmaster Klopp.
Is it the fastest football he has ever been involved in?
It is certainly a regime which Mane reckons has made him the fittest he has been in his career.
He said: “We work hard in training. I’ve never worked harder and never been this fit.
“We have great quality in the team, great players. It is a joy to play alongside all of them.
“I’m very happy here but so is everyone else.
“It is a very happy club. We are all trying to do our best. Will we run out of steam before the season ends? No, I don’t think we will.
“Everyone is more than happy to put the effort in. We are a fit and healthy group so seeing out the season at our pace should not be a problem for us.”
A major player in the speed machine is Brazilian Philippe Coutinho and Mane has been one of the many to welcome his Liverpool team-mate back with open arms.
He said: “We are very happy to have him here and he will definitely help us to achieve success this season.
“He has had a great reception since he came back into the team.”
