Manuel Akanji becomes third player to hit back at Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold as feeling in Man City dressing room made clear

Manuel Akanji has become the latest Manchester City player to respond to Trent Alexander-Arnold as the club's fury over comments the Liverpool defender made becomes increasingly clear.

Liverpool's vice-captain suggested that his side's achievements over the past six years will 'mean more' to Reds supporters due to the financial might of their rivals, City. Alexander-Arnold suggested City were a 'winning machine' and it has led to frustration among the Etihad squad.

Indeed, Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias both went public with responses and Akanji, speaking after a Liverpool team missing 10 first team players, including Alexander-Arnold, held City to a 1-1 draw at Anfield, believes City hit back.

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He said: "I don't know why he [Trent] said it. He didn't even play. He can't tell because he didn't win it. That's all I have to say. If you win three titles in one year, or five [titles] which we did last year, then he can speak again."

Asked if the comments changed City's mindset ahead of the game, he added: "No. I don't think so. Probably he [Trent] tried [to make it so] but it didn't matter to us. I don't think it affected us. In the end, we tried to go on the pitch and try to show our performance. I mean, it didn't affect me."

Alexander-Arnold - who is currently injured - made the comments in a magazine interview with FourFourTwo, saying: "You'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