Pep Guardiola Says Liverpool Have 'Special Character,' Accuses Them of 'Diving'

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has accused Liverpool of diving after Sadio Mane was booked for simulation in their 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

Mane went on to score the winner for the Reds in the 94th minute at Villa Park.

"Sometimes it is diving; sometimes it is this talent to score incredible goals in the last minute," Guardiola said of Liverpool on BBC Match of the Day. "What happened has happened not once, twice. It happened a lot of times—it is because it is a talent. So when they won many games in the last minutes, it is because they are a special character."

Referee Jonathan Moss showed Mane a yellow card when he went down theatrically following slight contact from Frederic Guilbert in the penalty area.

Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo felt Guilbert's challenge was not sufficient to send the Senegal winger to the floor:

Football journalist Richard Buxton rejected Guardiola's comments, however, stating he felt Mane did not deserve to be booked:

Mane went on to supply the cross for Andrew Robertson's 87th-minute equaliser before grabbing the winner himself in injury time.

City travel to Liverpool for their first meeting of the season on November 10, and The Athletic's Simon Hughes suggested the timing of the manager's comments was no coincidence:

The Reds' dramatic win kept them six points ahead of City going into the clash, so the game could have a significant impact on the title race.

Mane has 10 goals and five assists this season, so he will be key to Liverpool's efforts in the game.

As for the Reds' penchant for late goals, in three of their past six matches they have salvaged a draw or snatched a win with goals in added time, while their 1-1 stalemate with Manchester United came via an 85th-minute equaliser.

To maximise their chances of winning at Anfield, City will need a commanding lead to prevent any nerves in the closing stages.