Sadio Mane scored a hattrick as Liverpool kicked-off their first Champions League knockout match for a long time with a vehement triumph at Porto in their Champions League round of 16 first leg match.

Mane opened the scoring when home goalkeeper Jose Sa was unable to hold his placed strike.

Mohamed Salah then showed magnificent poise to control the ball home for Liverpool’s second and his 30th of an unimaginable debut season at the club.

With two away goals scored, the guests could have been pardoned for adopting a more traditionalist strategy but instead decided to keep the burners on.

A quick Liverpool counterattack finished with Sa spilling Roberto Firmino’s shot into Mane’s way and the striker committed no error, before Firmino scored his 21st of the season, clearing home James Milner’s cross.

Mane got his third with a determined strike late on to become the Liverpool player to score a hattrick away from home in Europe since Michael Owen in 2002, and the second ever.

Porto had lost just two matches in all competitions this season before Wednesday’s match however they looked lost defending against Liverpool’s relentless forward line.

Otavio had the Portuguese side’s most obvious opportunity towards the finish of the first half, placing his shot only wide of the far post after he was put through on goal.

Liverpool will hope to finish the job when they have Porto in the arrival leg at Anfield on Tuesday, 6 March.