Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is unimpressed by claims from Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp of favouritism in the schedule.
Guardiola hit back ahead of his side's clash with the Premier League champions on Sunday.
Klopp claims City's title charge came after they were granted an extended lay off following a Covid outbreak over Christmas.
In a press conference on Friday, Klopp said: “We haven't had a break - City had two weeks for Covid reasons. It's a tough year. Some teams it looks less, but for us, it's tough."
Guardiola issued an immediate response, revealing his disappointment in his rival's comments.
He said: “He made a mistake, it was two months, three months, four months. That's why we're in top four now.
“Jurgen has to see the calendar again. We had Covid, we had one week, we played with 14 players in Stamford Bridge. Maybe I'm wrong and it was two or three weeks. Tomorrow when I see Jurgen I will ask him how long we had off.
“I'm surprised, I thought Jurgen was not that kind of manager, I didn't expect that comment. Maybe it was a misunderstanding. If he sees the calendar he will see it was not two weeks, it was two months.
“I will tell him tomorrow. I'm not irritated. I didn't expect it, from him I didn't expect it. He knows it's not true. Nobody in the Premier League has two weeks off. It might be for a purpose but I didn't expect he will do it. I thought he wasn't that type of guy. Maybe I was wrong."
