Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho accuses Pep Guardiola's Manchester City players of diving

The two teams meet on Sunday in the first Manchester derby of the season and Mourinho has attempted to ramp up the war of words

Jose Mourinho's side face a must-win derby at Old Trafford on Sunday (Getty)

Jose Mourinho criticised Manchester City's players on Friday for going to ground too easily, claiming Pep Guardiola's side only need “a little bit of wind” to fall.

Mourinho’s Manchester United meet City at Old Trafford on Sunday in the first derby between the two clubs of the season, with the visitors eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Victory for Guardiola’s side this weekend would open up a double-digit gap and end the title race in the eyes of many, but Mourinho has suggested that City’s imperious campaign so far has been helped by their attempts to con officials by diving.

“They are a good team,” the United manager said when asked what impresses him most about the league leaders. “They defend well, they react well to the moment they lose the ball.

“They have a good dynamic in attack, they have creative movement, they have amazing players they have a fantastic coach, they have lots of good things.

Mourinho could not be wholly complimentary to his old rival Guardiola, however, and felt compelled to add: “If you ask me one thing that I don’t like a lot is that they lose their balance very easily. A little bit of wind and they fall.”

The Portuguese’s criticism is similar to that of Arsene Wenger who, after seeing his Arsenal side defeated 3-1 away to City last month, claimed opposition winger Raheem Sterling “dives well”.

Sterling won a 50th-minute penalty that day after being pushed in the penalty area by Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal, with the spot-kick converted by striker Sergio Aguero.

Despite Alexandre Lacazette responding for Arsenal, David Silva later set up a Gabriel Jesus goal from an offside position, leading Wenger to claim City would be “unstoppable” if they continued to receive favourable refereeing decisions.

Last month, during City’s 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town, midfielder Fernandinho was booked by referee Craig Pawson for simulation after falling to the ground while competing for the ball with Rajiv van la Parra.

Raheem Sterling has been accused of diving this season (AFP)

In October, meanwhile, City’s Bernardo Silva was cleared of diving to win a penalty by the Football Association after a 3-0 win over Burnley at the Etihad.

Sean Dyche, the visiting manager, claimed Silva had “cheated” in his post-match press conference, telling reporters: “If I kicked my kid in the garden he wouldn’t fall like that.”

After reviewing the incident, an FA panel unanimously decided not to retrospectively punish Silva for simulation.