Liverpool fans are urging Saido Mane to emulate Luis Suarez if he scores against City on Sunday and take a dive in front of Pep Guardiola.
In a post-match interview following City’s late comeback against Southampton, manager Pep Guardiola lashed out at Liverpool winger Saido Mane by accusing him of helping his side score late goals by diving.
When asked about Liverpool’s dramatic turnaround at Villa Park, which saw them win 2-1 in the 94th minute thanks to a last-gasp winner from Mane, Guardiola said: “It has happened many times, what Liverpool have done, in the last few years, it’s because (Mane) is a special talent,”
“Sometimes he’s diving, sometimes he has this talent to score incredible goals in the last minute. He’s a talent.”
Mane was booked for a dive in the penalty area against Villa, and has also been accused of going down easily for Liverpool’s penalties against Leicester and Tottenham recently too.
Nevertheless, Guardiola’s comments have angered the Liverpool faithful, with some already suggesting retaliatory moves should Mane score against City on Sunday.
In 2012, then-Everton manager David Moyes made similar comments about Luis Suarez in the run-up to to the Merseyside derby, singling out the Uruguayan and accusing him of being a serial diver.
Moyes claimed that divers were turning fans away from football and said: “I would (be concerned about Suarez) because I think he has got history.”
Sure enough, two days later Suarez scored in the derby and celebrated by running to the dug-out and performing a running dive right in front of a red-faced David Moyes.
Liverpool fans are now desperate for Mane to copy the iconic celebration should he grab a goal in Sunday’s title clash at Anfield.
Here’s what the fans have been saying about Guardiola’s comments about Mane:
Pep rattled and talking shite about Mane, like Moyes did about Suarez, only one way for Mane to celebrate when he scores next Sunday ! pic.twitter.com/Rl1ZwIIpPi
— ?Toxteth Kopite ?? ??????⚽ (@unbearablekop) November 3, 2019
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