Liverpool can take positives from Pep Guardiola’s ‘diving’ comments about Sadio Mane, according to Graeme Souness.
The Manchester City boss made the comments following Mane being booked for simulation during Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa on Saturday, in an uncharacteristic moment for the Spaniard.
The former Liverpool player thinks the comments show that Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table may be getting to Guardiola.
“Going forward 18 months ago his concern was Liverpool and the strength of Liverpool and it still exists today.
“So if I was involved with Liverpool I’d be pleased with that. He’s got one eye on Liverpool, I’m not sure Liverpool have one eye on him or [Manchester] City,” Souness said.
"He's got one eye on Liverpool. I'm not sure Liverpool have got one eye on [Manchester] City."
Graeme Souness on why he feels Liverpool currently have the advantage.@VMSportIE #VMsport #Wefreesport pic.twitter.com/7qilf70ZTZ
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 5, 2019
Niall Quinn was surprised by the comments after what has been an amicable relationship between Jurgen Klopp and Guardiola so far.
“One of the good things about Klopp and Guardiola over the last few years is we didn’t have that rhetoric of the Mourinho way, the Machiavellian way and Ferguson had it as well - that was part and parcel of every build-up of nearly every match.
“So we saw something different from these two managers. That’s why I was really surprised.
“But I can only say the value of what happened which he thought was a miraculous turnaround to get them a step back in the right direction in the Premier League and to come at Liverpool.
“To then hear what Liverpool had done, I dare say he hadn’t even seen it,” Quinn commented.
The former Ireland international dismissed the notion that the Man City boss was attempting to play mind games and instead thinks it was potentially a moment of weakness.
“I think there was no effort to play mind games because as Graeme says, it’s so unusual, it’s so out of place, it almost has everyone saying, ‘We have these, these look a bit rattled.’”
Virgin Media Sport has over 400 UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Nations League games live this season, and is available to all Virgin Media TV customers who can also download the TV Anywhere App and stream all the action whenever and wherever they like.
