Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has accused Sadio Mane of "diving" ahead of next weekend's top-of-the-table clash with Liverpool.
The Reds star grabbed a late winner for Jurgen Klopp's side against Aston Villa on Saturday to ensure they head into the game with a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
It looked like City would cut the gap to four points after Andrew Robertson equalised for Liverpool in 87th-minute, however, .
Having beaten Southampton 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, coming from a goal down themselves to win, Guardiola was asked about next week's match.
However, in sensational style, Guardiola took a rather bizarre shot at Mane labelling him a diver.
Speaking after watching his side beat Southampton 2-1, he said: "Sometimes he's (Mane) diving, sometimes he has this talent to score incredible goals in the last minute. He's a talent.
"It’s happened a lot for Liverpool in the last years [scoring late on] it’s because he’s a special talent."
On Liverpool's win, he added: "If it’s one time, two times, “we were lucky, we were lucky”, but it happened in the last two seasons many, many times – they have a special character to do that.
"We look at ourselves, we know which team we face, I think they have won 10 and drawn one… Next week we go to Anfield to try to play them."
Mane had been in the headlines against Leicester City last month after going to ground following a Marc Albrighton challenge which resulted in a penalty kick.
However, replays showed there was contact on the Liverpool forward, rubbishing any claims of a potential dive .
The Anfield clash appears to be a must-win match for Guardiola's men, with six points still separating the two teams.
A win for the Reds would stretch the gap to nine points and offer Klopp's side a strong grasp on their first Premier League title.
