Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy does not believe the club's title chances are hurt by Sadio Mane's move to Bayern Munich.

The Senegalese forward ended his six-year association with Liverpool this summer, moving to Bayern in a deal worth €41m.

Speaking on behalf of 888, Murphy told The Mirror: "I was sad to see him go, because I was one of his biggest fans, I absolutely adore him," Murphy added. "I think he has been a wonderful player for Liverpool. He's got that wonderful balance of tremendous footballing ability with a work-ethic that is just relentless.

"I think everybody loves that in a player, even if he is not quite at it in terms of his end product, he just doesn't stop. He's been a huge, huge player for Liverpool. Nearly every fan I have spoken to or heard on a radio show is wishing him well and thanking him for what he has done, which tells you everything. In an ideal, you would keep all of your good players until the end, but football's not like that.

"I think what was clever is that they bought in a replacement for him really while he was still there in Luis Diaz. Diaz has got many similar traits to Mane in the tenacity, the energy, the work ethic, the good footwork.

"He scores a goal, he's got a fair way to go to reach the heights Mane did of course, we know that, bringing him in at a time Mane was still there was cute, it was clever, an intelligent bit of business. He's hit the ground running, he is comfortable in his surroundings.

"You'd think that the front three of Salah, Nunez and Diaz will start and Jota will come in. To be fair to Jota, I'm doing him a disregard because he has been sensational as well since he moved, he probably thinks he deserves a place in that 11. The luxury for Jurgen Klopp of course is that he doesn't have to throw Darwin Nunez in and play every game and if he needs a bit of time to adjust because he's got Jota.

"The options are great for Liverpool, gone are the days where that front three, you were scared to death if one of that front three are going off to the Africa Cup of Nations, the competition for places in the front area of the pitch now is great and it is what City have had for years. While I'm disappointed Mane has gone, I'm happy with what they have done in the market to replace him."