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Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool
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Why Liverpool fans could be banned from bringing in anti-Manchester City banners at Anfield
Why Liverpool fans could be banned from bringing in anti-Manchester City banners at Anfield
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Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool celebrates with the Champions League Trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool
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Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images
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Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Anfield is braced for a blockbuster on Sunday.
Liverpool welcome Manchester City to Merseyside for what is set to be one of the most anticipated fixtures in the modern history of English football.
This will be the first weekend of Premier League fixtures since Manchester City were charged for breaching financial rules, and it’s a chance for fans across the game to express their feelings from the stands.
An interesting debate on The Overlap hinted that Liverpool fans might be blocked from displaying banners regarding Manchester City’s financial misconduct.
Jamie Carragher was told that a possible worrying precedent was set when Liverpool previously banned West Ham supporters from displaying banners targeting Karren Brady and David Sullivan.
Brendan Rodgers
Liverpool have banned anti-owner banners before
It needs to be noted that Man City are appealing their verdict, so the full process hasn’t been completed, which is probably why clubs haven’t made any official statements regarding the matter.
That said, there are set to be a lot of games, on the domestic front and in Europe, to be played before that appeal is played out.
As a result, it will be interesting to see what clubs, not just Liverpool, allow their coaches, players and fans to say via official media channels and from the stands.
One Liverpool fan on The Overlap expects Anfield to be ‘angry’ towards Manchester City, given that the Reds are perhaps most affected by this all.
However, when Carragher questioned why anti-Manchester City banners would be ‘stopped’, it was brought to his attention that West Ham fans tried to ‘protest’ against their owners at Anfield prior to their relegation, but they were stopped in their tracks.
Gareth, who was representing Liverpool on The Overlap, shared that, at the time, he expressed his ‘concern’, and how it’s ‘not right’, because it possibly opens the door for the club to do the same again here.
Jamie Carragher: “What you (Liverpool fan on Man City charges) have said there, you’re very passionate about your own club. I can imagine there will be a lot of supporters like that going to Anfield as well.
“What are you expecting from Liverpool-Manchester City off the pitch?”
Liverpool fan: “It will be pretty white-hot at Anfield, I would imagine. I think everyone is angry. Everyone will have something to say. I think you will feel that in the ground. There is likely to be chants, banners and so on.
“I really hope that fans are given that opportunity to say what they think, and express what they think.”
Carragher: “Why do you think Liverpool would stop a banner going in, or will stewards tell?”
Liverpool fan: “That’s happened before. I know, for example, that when West Ham were protesting against Brady and Sullivan, they were stopped from bringing a banner into Anfield. I expressed my concern at that’s not right.”
Carragher: “Do you think John Henry will stop you from bringing in a banner about Sheikh Mansour, though?”
Liverpool fan: “Well, he shouldn’t do. You look at what he said, which isn’t very much over the years, but when he does pop his head up, he has had a pop.
“There is a tweet knocking about from 2011 from him, where he was like, ‘This Etihad Airways contract. Who was the runner-up? Who was in second place? Who did they beat?’ Because it was never fair market value, the prices that they were paying.”