A Liverpool fan was reportedly 'pepper-sprayed' by police as tensions boiled over with Man City supporters following the highly anticipated Premier League clash at Anfield
A Liverpool fan was reportedly pepper sprayed by police
A Liverpool fan was reportedly pepper sprayed by police(Image: chrisslaterMEN/X)
A Liverpool fan was reportedly pepper-sprayed by police as tensions flared with Manchester City supporters following Sunday's Premier League clash at Anfield.
Andoni Iraola's Liverpool suffered a heavy home defeat to Manchester City in their first match since the club was found guilty of breaching Premier League financial regulations. Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the second half shortly after Ryan Gravenberch was sent off, before Jeremy Doku doubled City's lead with a superb curling strike. Rayan Cherki then added a third to complete a comprehensive victory.
The fixture was widely viewed as a difficult test for City following the international break, with a hostile Anfield atmosphere expected after news of the verdict emerged.
City players and supporters largely avoided the Liverpool crowd when arriving at Anfield, but Manchester Evening News reporter Chris Slater reported clashes between home fans and police outside the away end after the final whistle.
As City supporters left the stadium, escorted by a line of police officers, Liverpool fans on the other side of the barrier exchanged angry words and gestures with the departing visitors. The away fans appeared to leave without further incident, although some Liverpool supporters could be heard shouting insults, including "f------ cheats" and "cheating b-------".
The Premier League announced at the end of September that City had been found guilty of breaching multiple regulations between 2009 and 2018. The club has appealed the verdict and continues to deny any wrongdoing.
An independent commission found that City had arranged “sham” commercial deals with several sponsors during the period as part of a scheme to disguise funding, according to the Premier League. The commission concluded that the companies paid only a portion of the agreed sponsorship fees, with the remainder funded by City owner Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group.
Liverpool fans exchanged angry words and gestures with Manchester City supporters
Liverpool fans exchanged angry words and gestures with Manchester City supporters(Image: chrisslaterMEN/X)
City denies any wrongdoing and has appealed the decision of the independent panel, with the process set to be extended for at least a few more months until a final verdict is confirmed.
The period covered by the allegations, from 2009 to 2018, saw Liverpool come agonisingly close to winning the Premier League title under Brendan Rodgers in 2013/14.
Although the years that followed fall outside the scope of the charges, frustration over the perceived financial disparity between the two clubs has continued among Liverpool supporters, particularly during the title battles between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.
Liverpool fans made their feelings clear before kick-off, unveiling a banner on the Kop reading "A Generation of Supporters Cheated", while City's players were booed during their warm-up. In the away end, a banner declared "In Khaldoon we trust", in reference to City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
Home supporters also taunted City with chants of "Going down" and "You haven't won a trophy since 1976". Another large banner on the Kop read "All of your stars are fading away", referencing the Oasis hit Live Forever.