Jose Mourinho reignited his war of words with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in a confrontation sparked by Liverpool fans.
“Sacked in the morning” was the chant cascading down from the Liverpool fans during Man City’s 2-0 defeat at Anfield last weekend.
Guardiola has reached the point where he virtually decides his own future at the Etihad, though the Spaniard didn’t take kindly to being mocked about his job security.
Guardiola proceeded to hold up six fingers mid-way through the chant to signify the six Premier League titles he’s won at Man City.
The image resembled Jose Mourinho in his final days as manager of Manchester United. Indeed, the Portuguese famously held up three fingers to Chelsea and Tottenham fans as his United spell neared its demise.
When Guardiola was recently asked if he could be sacked just like Mourinho in 2018, he replied: “I hope not in my case… He (Mourinho) won three, I won six.. but we are the same like that.
“We are together in the those situations. To make our fans know that we are much, much better than the [Liverpool fans] that sing that.
“It [the gesture] was just to make our fans feel that what we have done is extraordinary. I want to prove that we are an incredible football club.
“Sooner or later it’s going to be the end but I will try to extend as much as possible for the best of my club.”
Fenerbahce boss Mourinho has now responded to Guardiola’s comments and didn’t hold back when directly referencing the investigation into Man City’s alleged financial malpractice.
Guardiola and Mourinho have a long-standing rivalry in the game that dates all the way back to their stints at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.
“Guardiola said something to me yesterday,” began Mourinho (as quoted by The Daily Mail). “He won six trophies and I won three, but I won fairly and cleanly.
“If I lost, I want to congratulate my opponent because he was better than me. I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 lawsuits.”
Man City are currently battling to clear their name in the face of the 115 charges put forward by the Premier League.
If Man City are found to have breached the Premier League’s regulations, expulsion from the top flight is among the punishments they could face.
READ MORE:Five players Man City must urgently sign replacements for as Guardiola crisis deepens
Latest Man City news – Walker, McAtee and more
In other news, Man City are warming to the idea of selling Kyle Walker next summer, according to talkSPORT.
A return to boyhood club Sheffield United is possible, though only if the Blades secure promotion back into the Premier League.
Elsewhere, GiveMeSport report Man City are now open to offloading James McAtee in January.
West Ham and Crystal Palace are well-placed to make a move, while Championship side Leeds United are also hovering. Whether City prefer an outright sale or loan wasn’t made clear.
Finally, journalist Henry Winter insistedtime is up for Walker, Gundogan and Silva at The Etihad.
Winter ran the rule over City’s problems in a scathing assessment fortalkSPORT. The reporter also claimed Man City’s once-feared squad have morphed from ‘invincibles to invisibles.’