Jamie Carragher said Sadio Mane "would have me to deal with" amid reports linking the Liverpool winger with Bayern Munich, after the Senegalese kept his side in the Premier League title race with a winner at Aston Villa.

Just a day after Sky Germany revealed Bayern's interest in Liverpool's No 10, Mane produced a brilliant header to complete a vital turnaround for Liverpool in a 2-1 win at Villa Park on Tuesday night.

The 30-year-old showed great athleticism to head home Luis Diaz's cross in the second half - after Joel Matip had cancelled out Douglas Luiz's early opener in a frantic start to the game - with Jurgen Klopp's side now level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table.

Carragher not only described Mane as his "favourite player" among the Liverpool squad - but even claimed the 30-year-old is just as important as 30-goal star Mohamed Salah to the Reds' fortunes, with the Egyptian winger just a substitute on Tuesday night.

When I have watched Liverpool as a fan, Sadio Mane is my favourite player," Carragher told Sky Sports. "There is just something about Mane. He's sacrificed himself at times and the shift he puts in.

He, along with Salah, has been doing that for five years - they are never injured! They are there week in, week out for 90 minutes, getting the numbers up there every week. What they have done for this football club is unbelievable.

"I'm a huge fan of Sadio Mane and I can assure you he will be going nowhere because I will not let him go to Bayern Munich, he'd have me to deal with!

"I love him, absolutely love him to bits. And not just because he's a great player and what he's done for Liverpool.

"He initially came in on the right wing then moved to the left when Salah arrived. Diaz comes in on the left and Mane goes to centre-forward.

"He's always moving for someone else but his performances never drop. It doesn't seem to matter where Mane plays, you get exactly the same from him, the same cannot be said for the rest of the Liverpool attack."