Greater Manchester Police are investigating Liverpool’s team coach being damaged after their 4-1 loss at Manchester City on Saturday.
The title race is still firmly, exhilaratingly on: Manchester City required all three points to keep their breath hot on the necks of Arsenal and they did the business supremely in a second-half show of might, even if the leaders responded later in the afternoon.
Having fallen behind to Mohamed Salah’s smash-and-grab opener, Julián Álvarez equalised from Jack Grealish’s pass to make it 1-1 at the break. Then City showed why they are the champions of the past two seasons and the dominant, garlanded side of this era.
A first blow was administered seconds after the interval via the kind of fast break from which Liverpool had scored. Álvarez can take bouquets for helping to create Kevin De Bruyne’s goal, as his crossfield ball sliced open Liverpool and found the roving Riyad Mahrez along the right. He turned the ball across and the Belgian, so often City’s key man, finished.
A memorable day for Álvarez became even rosier when his shot was blocked by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ilkay Gündogan hooked home. The Argentinian was surely only in the XI because of Erling Haaland’s groin problem but Pep Guardiola had answered perfectly the poser of what to do when your 42-goal man is ruled out: select a World Cup winner who can slot straight into the side’s seamless groove and was a standout performer.
Gündogan’s goal had the stadium bouncing and Jürgen Klopp fuming. Liverpool’s manager was yet again overseeing a defensive horror show, so he responded with what felt like a farcical move, dragging off four players on 70 minutes: Salah (perhaps unfortunate to be removed), Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott and Andrew Robertson, as Roberto Firmino, Darwin Núñez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kostas Tsimikas entered.
When the outstanding Grealish gave Alexander-Arnold the runaround – swapping passes with De Bruyne – and scored, Liverpool had been humiliated by foes who, before this term, had been their sole rivals recently for the championship.
Liverpool’s team bus was damaged after the game against Manchester City.
Greater Manchester Police are investigating Liverpool’s team coach being damaged after their 4-1 loss at Manchester City on Saturday.
While there were also offensive chants referencing the Hillsborough disaster aimed at Liverpool fans by City supports at the Etihad Stadium during the game, GMP launched the investigation into the attack on the bus as it left the stadium after the match.
A GMP statement said: “Following yesterday’s Premier League fixture between Manchester City and Liverpool, GMP received reports of criminal damage to Liverpool FC Player’s coach. It is reported the incident took place at approximately 3.40pm on Ashton New Road close to the junction of Rowsley Street. There were no reports of any injuries and the Liverpool Club coaches were able to continue with their journey. An investigation has now been launched by Greater Manchester Police to identify and locate the offenders.”
City stated they would support the investigation and on Saturday evening also condemned the chants, which included references to Hillsborough disaster of 1989 which caused 97 Liverpool fans to lose their lives.
A Football Association spokesperson said: “We are very concerned about the rise of abhorrent chants in stadiums that are related to the Hillsborough disaster and other football related tragedies. These chants are highly offensive and are deeply upsetting for the families, friends and communities who have been impacted by these devastating events, and we strongly condemn this behaviour.
“We support clubs and fans who try to stamp out this behaviour from our game. We also support the excellent work of the survivor groups who engage with stakeholders across football to help educate people about the damaging and lasting effects that these terrible chants can have.”
The FA are unable to take any action regarding the chants, it is understood. The Premier League said on Saturday that it is “treating the issue of tragedy chanting as a priority and as a matter of urgency”.
