Jose Mourinho has reignited his feud with Pep Guardiola by claiming: I won my titles fairly.

Guardiola, who brandished six fingers during Manchester City’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool last week in reference to his Premier League titles, has waded into the war of words by insisting his old rival is on a “long list” who want City relegated from the Premier League for alleged financial breaches.

The City manager’s “six” gesture echoed Mourinho at Manchester United in 2018, when he held up three fingers to signify his own haul of titles following a defeat by Tottenham Hotspur. Mourinho was later sacked at Old Trafford.

“Guardiola said something to me. He won six trophies and I won three, but I won fairly and cleanly,” said Mourinho, now at Turkish club Fenerbahçe. “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.”

Mourinho was clearly referencing the charges City face for allegedly breaking financial rules in the Premier League, with the case expected to be concluded this season.

Mourinho went head-to-head with Guardiola in the Premier League when he joined Manchester United in 2016 then had a spell at Tottenham. While Mourinho failed to add to his three titles at Chelsea during the Roman Abramovich era, Guardiola has dominated English football and his six titles have come in the past seven years.

‘Jose is on huge list of those who want us proven guilty’

“If I have offended him [Jose], I’m so sorry, but it was a joke,” said Guardiola. “The fact is he has three and I have six. This is a fact. But the intention was completely fine.

“It is another one in the huge list in this country and more around the world that want us at the bottom. It’s OK, it’s fine. I’ve said many times, wait for the sentence and everyone, especially in democracy, is innocent until proven guilty. Right?”

Since losing to Liverpool, City have won against Nottingham Forest but during a run of seven games without a win Guardiola addressed his own position and whether he faced a similar scenario to Mourinho in his final days at United.

Guardiola said at Anfield: “I hope not in my case … He won three, I won six. But we are the same like that. We are together in those situations. To make our fans know that we are much, much better than the people that sing that.” Liverpool fans sang that Guardiola was “getting sacked in the morning”.

Insiders have confirmed the vast majority of evidence has now been heard in the most seismic case that the Premier League has ever brought. Telegraph Sport has been informed the case is close to wrapping up. Hearing concluding evidence in early to mid-December fits with a timeline set out privately to legal teams at the start of the hearing.

A verdict before the end of the season remains easily within reach, legal sources claim. However, an appeal by either parties – as has been seen in a previous financial breach case – could see the process delayed, potentially beyond May. City and the league declined to comment.

“I would say to Jose the same: We are innocent until proven guilty,” added Guardiola. “After that we will see what happens. It is what it is, it was completely a joke. Both with our teams, him with Chelsea and me with Man City, we can sit at the table with Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger, right? For the many, many titles we won. And I’m pretty sure soon they will congratulate us.”

Guardiola has revealed he has a good relationship with Wenger and Ferguson, whom he referenced along with Mourinho in the clutch of managers with the greatest achievements in the Premier League.

Asked if he has met his fellow managerial greats during his time at City, Guardiola added: “With Sir Alex a few [times]. Now not for a long period but in the first years a lot, we were at charity events together. With Arsène since he retired, it’s been incredible, but Arsène is a gentleman for many, many years.

“He came last time here, we make a big chat. Now he’s in a role at Fifa. It’s important these figures are in world football and him being there. Both of them had incredible success at United and Arsenal, and Jose at Chelsea. I would say ourself here. In terms of titles, all four they are the best we have done in I don’t know how many years.

“When we’re sitting with them we don’t talk about how good we are and how many titles we win and that kind of stuff, it’s ridiculous. We talk about life, how was the experience.”