MANCHESTER CITY walked into Anfield through a back entrance on Sunday and left through the main gates after a 3-0 victory that did little to calm the hostility sparked by an independent commission’s recent findings. The commission found the club guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules and issued 115 charges in total, according to the report.
City’s trip to Liverpool was their first match since the verdict was announced during the international break. Premier League CEO Richard Masters accused the club of “systemically breaking rules for almost a decade,” language that underlined the intensity of the backlash the team faced before kick‑off.
The arrival at Anfield was cautious. The City team bus took an alternative route through back streets with a police escort and entered the stadium through a rear entrance. That followed a 2018 incident in which the City bus was attacked en route to Anfield and players were forced to dive for cover to avoid broken glass, a factor cited in the decision to alter the approach to the ground.
The atmosphere inside Anfield reflected the anger. Goalkeepers were booed during a near-empty pre-match warm-up and the jeers grew louder when the full team ran out. The stadium announcer said the playlist had been compiled by the home dressing room; tracks played included “Little Lies” by Fleetwood Mac, “It’s Not Right” by Whitney Houston and “Blame” by Calvin Harris. Supporters also directed chants at City, including calls of “Cheats” and other insults.
The independent commission’s report covered the 2009-2018 seasons and concluded Manchester City had inflated commercial income by more than £900 million, a finding that supporters and rival clubs have cited as explaining the club’s rise. City have appealed the verdict. Enzo Maresca’s side took the three points on the pitch but, as the reaction in Liverpool demonstrated, the controversy around the case remains unresolved.
