Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has accused Sadio Mane of diving.
Liverpool entertain the Premier League champions in next Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash with the hosts aiming to stretch their current lead to nine points.
Jurgen Klopp’s side snatched a 2-1 win at Aston Villa courtesy of a stoppage-time header from Mane while City overcame Southampton by the same scoreline.
The Senegal international was booked in the first half for simulation in the penalty area despite replays showing contact by Villa defender Frederic Guilbert.
But Guardiola stoked tensions ahead of next weekend’s Anfield showdown when informed about Mane’s late heroics at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.
“It has happened many times, what Liverpool have done, in the last few years, it’s because [Mané] is a special talent,” he told BBC Sport.
“Sometimes he’s diving, sometimes he has this talent to score incredible goals in the last minute. He’s a talent.”
Despite his criticism of Mane, Guardiola was full of praise for Liverpool’s ability to score vital late goals which have ensured their status as the champions-elect.
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.”