CHERRIES star Nathan Ake admitted Liverpool’s formidable array of attacking talent gave defenders a “nightmare”.

The front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané have scored 79 times between them in all competitions this season – with 52 coming in the top flight.

Both Salah and Firmino found the net as the Reds saw off Manchester City to reach the Champions' League semi-final on Tuesday.

The pair also got on the scoresheet when Jurgen Klopp’s team beat Cherries 4-0 at Vitality Stadium in December.

With the Dorset club making the trip to Anfield on Saturday (5.30pm), Ake insisted keeping the lively trio quiet would be a tall order.

He told the Daily Echo: “They are a very good team, I think everyone knows that. They are doing really well in the Champions' League and the Premier League. It is going to be dangerous.

“The front players and the midfielders are really good players and we know what we will be getting. I think we need to prepare well and go there with high hopes.

“The way Salah, Firmino and Mane are playing now is great. They are a real joy to watch for people and a nightmare for defenders to play against. It will be tough but also a good test.

“In a split second, they can be somewhere else or behind you so you always have to be focused.”

Former Chelsea man Ake scored the winner when Cherries famously overcame Liverpool 4-3 at home in December 2016.

He has featured in all 33 of Cherries’ top-flight fixtures this season and played an instrumental role in guiding Eddie Howe’s men to 11th in the table.

Dutchman Ake could also come up against international team-mate Virgil van Dijk when the sides do battle.

They played alongside each other as the Oranje recorded a 3-0 friendly win over Portugal last month.

Asked about Netherlands skipper van Dijk, Ake replied: “He is a great player. The last game we played for Holland we were next to each other and he looks so easy when he plays.

“He is a fantastic player but also a great guy. It will be good to see him.

“The way he talks and tries to help people, he is not just focused on his own game. He tries to help the team and is exactly what the national team needs. He is doing that at Liverpool as well, so he is a great leader.

“He has been in the game for a long time now and the way he is playing and dealing with a lot of pressure on him, he still seems the same.

"There are always a lot of things to learn from him.”

Ake could also face fellow Dutchman Georginio Wijnaldum, who played 90 minutes during Liverpool’s European midweek triumph.