Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias have both taken a swipe at Trent Alexander-Arnold after he stated that "winning trophies means more" to Liverpool supporters than it does to fans of Manchester City.
The top-two teams go head to head in a Premier League title showdown at Anfield on Sunday, and earlier this week, Alexander-Arnold labelled Pep Guardiola's side as "a machine that's built to win".
Speaking to FourFourTwo magazine about the rivalry that has emerged between the two clubs in recent years, the Englishman said: "It's tough. We're up against a machine that's built to win – that's the simplest way to describe City and their organisation.
"Looking back on this era, although they've won more titles than us and have probably been more successful, our trophies will mean more to us and our fanbase because of the situations at both clubs, financially.
"How both clubs have built their teams and the manner in which we've done it, probably means more to our fans."
© Reuters
Haaland raised his eyebrows when he was informed of those provocative comments during an interview with Sky Sports and he has hit back at Alexander-Arnold by remining the defender of Man City's historic treble triumph last season – one of only two ever achieved by an English club along with Manchester United in 1999.
"If he wants to say that, then OK," said the Norwegian. "I've been here one year and won the treble and it was quite a nice feeling, I do not think he knows exactly this feeling. So yeah, that is what I felt last season and it was quite nice.
"They can talk as much as they want, or he can talk as much as he wants, I do not know why he does that, but I do not mind."
Meanwhile, Man City centre-back Dias believes that the way to be "a big club" is "not trying to comment on other people's success".
"We've won a lot in this club, especially last year with the treble. I think it's pretty certain between us, between our fans, how much it meant to all of us," the Portuguese told BBC Sport.
"At the end of the day you can only have certain emotions if you actually win stuff. A treble is a feeling you can only know how it feels when you actually do it."
© Reuters
Dias added: "I think in a club like Man City and my previous club (Benfica), our greatness will be shown in a way that these comments don't affect us.
"We know what we've done, we know what we've conquered, we know what we're going for in what's to come. We don't do it for anyone else, we do it for ourselves.
"Other people's success is deserved for their own achievements. What we focus on is ourselves and that's the way to move forward and that's the way to be big, a big club. Not trying to comment on other people's success and trying to make it bigger or smaller depending on how convenient it is for you."
Last season, Man City came from behind to overtake Arsenal and win a third successive Premier League title, finishing five points clear of the Gunners in second, while Liverpool endured a disappointing 2023-24 campaign and finished in fifth, a whopping 22 points behind the Citizens.
This term, Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal are involved in an intriguing three-horse race for top spot, with the Reds currently leading the way at the summit and sitting one point ahead of the second-placed Citizens, who are one point ahead of the Gunners in third.
Man City were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium in November the last time that they locked horns with Liverpool, with Haaland's first-half opener cancelled out by none other than Alexander-Arnold 10 minutes from time.
Oliver Thomas
